Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge
by Tempest78
Summary: Midoriko appears before Bankotsu warning that he must find Kagome and persuade her to marry him in order to save Feudal Japan.
1. Troubled Beginning

**A/N: The story Bankotsu's Lullaby is adopted from April-Chan1990. Since it was inspired by AMLS and after more than three months no one has finished it. I posted a poll. **

**The readers have made their voices heard and I have adopted it. The first half of the plot line will mostly remain the same, minus spelling and grammar errors. I will also be smoothing out the rough patches and adding emotional depth. **

_Full Summary: Feudal Japan is growing more dangerous with each passing day. The leader of the Shichinintai is given a chance to save Feudal Japan. With this heavy burden resting upon his shoulders, can Bankotsu put aside his hatred and form an alliance with the Inutachi? More importantly can he convince Kagome to marry him before it's too late?  
_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 1: Troubled Beginning**

Kagome smiled to herself when she finally smelled the familiar air of the Modern Era. _'I must remember to get Inuyasha his 'ninja food', since he refused the stew Miroku made for us.' _

She climbed out of the well into the shrine and blinked. _'That's weird… It almost never rains here.'_ Droplets dripped from a crack in the roof of the shrine and created a puddle at Kagome's feet. She shook her shoes off. _'It must have just stopped.'_

_'I hope mom and grandpa are home_.' Kagome skipped up to the front door of her house. She huffed when the knob did not turn. She fumbled in her skirt pocket for a moment, pulling out the spare key Grandpa made for her. She unlocked the door and walked inside. She found a note lying on the kitchen table.

_Kagome, _

_I had to take Souta to the doctor. He has a really bad cold and high fever. I thought I'd leave a note just in case you came back early. _

_Love, Mom._

Kagome placed the note back on the table. She hurried up the stairs to her room. After she changed into one of her many clean uniforms, she went into the bathroom.

_'I'd love to take a nice long soak, but I promised Inuyasha and the others that I wouldn't be long.'_ She stared at the tub with longing. _'I'll have to settle for a hot spring later.' _She opened the medicine cabinet and grabbed a handful of gauze, bandages, ointments and a bottle of aspirin.

She made her way back downstairs, where she took her time carefully selecting Ramen for Inuyasha_. 'Kami forbid I choose one that is too hot. Inuyasha would dance around fanning his tongue and whining.'_ She giggled. She picked out six cups of noodles, along with lollipops for Shippo and stuffed them into her bag.

She opened the fridge door and pulled out the orange juice, pouring a glass before putting the jug back into the fridge. She drank her juice and placed the cup in the sink. _'Now that hit the spot.'_ She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed out the door, right into Inuyasha's chest.

He caught her by the shoulders before she could fall backwards. "Yo!"

Her eyes widened before she blinked. "What are you doing here? I told you I wouldn't be long."

"I wanted to make sure you got safely back. We just finished battling a demon."

"Oh? What kind?"

"I'm not sure what type it was, but it doesn't really matter since its dead now." His chest swelled and he grinned.

_'Is he trying to impress me? How sweet.' _Her smile vanished._ 'I'd hate to see the day someone out does him, he'd be so disappointed.'_

Inuyasha looked at her overstuffed bag. "So, I presume you're ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Inuyasha walked beside Kagome back into the shrine. They leaped in. The blue light surrounded them in a matter of seconds.

After climbing out into feudal Japan Kagome noticed the rest of her friends were not present. "Where are Miroku and the rest?"

"They're waiting back in Kaede's village."

The couple made their way back to the village. Inuyasha stopped and sniffed the air. He frowned.

"What is it Inuyasha?" She sensed an evil presence nearby.

"I smell a demon. It's approaching the village. We'd better hurry."

They quickly ran to Kaede's village.

Miroku and Sango were already outside prepared for battle.

"So did you guys sense something to?" Inuyasha walked up to his companions.

"Whatever it is, it must be big." Miroku tapped his staff on the ground. "The demonic aura extends over the entire village."

A demon with the head of a bird, the body of a cat and arms like a lizard stomped through the trees.

Inuyasha blinked. _'Now that has got to be the ugliest demon I've ever seen.' _He chuckled and unsheathed his sword preparing to fight. "Looking for a fight, are you?"

"That girl possesses a sacred jewel shard. I must have it." It ran toward Kagome, but Inuyasha jumped in front of her cutting it off. Tetsusaiga connected with its head creating a large, bloody gash. The demon crashed to the ground.

"Well, that wasn't much of a fight considering how huge this thing was." Inuyasha sighed.

"Don't be so sure." Sango pointed behind him.

"What the - ?" Inuyasha's eyes widened and he stepped back pushing Kagome behind him.

Despite the demon's head being split down the middle, it was slowly getting up to its feet.

"Teh, looks like this isn't over." Inuyasha smirked and brought his sword down again and again, creating multiple wounds on the demon's body. Tetsuaiga's attacks didn't seem to even slow down the demon.

"Kagome, does this thing have a shard?" Inuyasha jumped on the demon's shoulders. He hacked away trying to chop its head off.

She stared at the demon carefully checking it. "I don't sense one!"

"Damn it all!" The demon's hand pried Inuyasha off its shoulders, tossing him to the ground like a rag doll.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Oh no, Inuyasha!"

The demon averted its attention to Kagome. "I must have that sacred jewel shard."

"Get back, you guys!" Miroku stuck his hand up in front of him. "I'll suck this beast into my Wind Tunnel!"

Inuyasha scurried out of the way, while Miroku removed the beads and opened the void in his right hand. The demon was sucked up in mere seconds.

Kagome rushed over to Inuyasha. "Are you okay?"

"Teh, it's just a few bruises." He chuckled, but there was a hint of pain in his eyes.

"You're bleeding!" Kagome pointed to Inuyasha's upper leg.

"Oh? It's nothing." He tried to hide the wound by bending his leg.

"Let's get you patched up."

_'No sense arguing, it will only get me sat.'_ Inuyasha sighed heavily as he stood up.

Kagome helped Inuyasha into Kaede's hut, after noticing how heavily he was actually leaning on her. _'Hmph, it's nothing huh?' _She rolled her eyes._ 'Why does he have to act so macho about these things?' _

He sat down on the futon Kagome had slept on the previous night.

"I see ye got cut up a little." Kaede emerged from the back of the hut.

Kagome took some of the ointment and gauze out of her bag. She rolled up Inuyasha's hakamas, making sure not to rub the wound. She applied the ointment all over the cut and around it, causing Inuyasha to wince in pain.

"Not so rough."

"Be still. I'm being as gentle as I can." Kagome succeeded with decently placing the gauze on Inuyasha's leg, despite him squirming and moaning. "There, all done!"

"Thank Buddha!"

"Inuyasha's going to get all better, thanks to Kagome." Shippo grinned as he bounced into her lap.

"Inuyasha, why do you think that demon was so powerful?" Miroku rubbed his chin. "It didn't have a shard and yet it still managed to toss you around."

"What else? It had to have been something Naraku cooked up." Amber eyes narrowed at the wall.

Sango sat next to Kagome. "I think it's best if we stay in the village for a while. Who knows what will pop up next."

Kagome placed the remaining first aide stuff back into her bag. "You're probably right."

"Well, I don't think Naraku's going to show his ugly face anytime soon." Inuyasha yawned, laying back on the futon. He fell asleep in matter of minutes.

Let him rest." Kaede rose to her feet. "Ye guys come help me in my herb garden."

The friends made their way outside with baskets in hand and into the garden. Kirara stood watch over them just in case a demon decided to show up looking for a shard.

**XOXOXO:**

The ground rumbled underneath the metal Shichinintai known as Ginkotsu. The five man band were heading to a village Suikotsu had spotted to destroy it and retrieve some supplies. The trip turned out to be an annoying one.

Jakotsu pouted. "How come I never get the first strike on any village we ever come across?"

"Because I'm the leader," Bankotsu smirked.

"But I never get to start the fun," the homosexual stomped his foot. "It's not fair."

"Would somebody please shut this damn baka up?" Renkotsu covered his ears.

Bankotsu eyed them both sternly. "Behave, were almost at the village."

Jakotsu immediately fell silent and flopped himself back onto Ginkotsu's platform, crossing his arms and sticking his nose up toward the sky.

They approached a rather large village and Bankotsu smirked. _'It seems the castle guards have already been informed we were coming.'_

Soldiers with spears and village men armed with whatever they could find stood in the castle grounds. "Don't come any further!" One solider warned, pointing out a long spear.

The Shichinintai hopped down. Almost immediately Jakotsu huffed flinging his sword madly and took down at least a dozen soldiers.

Renkotsu took a drink of concoction from his gourd even as five villagers charged him. Spitting fire all around, he took out the men with ease; proceeding further towards the castle razing everything in sight. He was quickly joined by the others, all but their leader.

Bankotsu stood facing the lord of the castle, who held a sword mere inches from his handsome face. Blood lust filled his eyes and he licked his lips. "So you think you can take me on, eh?"

"You're an impudent one, aren't you?"

"That's a mighty puny sword yah got there."

"Back to hell with you!" The castle lord swung his blade at Bankotsu's neck.

With a light flick of his Banryu the head of Bankotsu's opponent rolled on the ground, blood splattering onto his pristine white outfit. _'That was such a waste of time, it was over too easy.' _He sighed and left to join his brethren.

Minutes later the village lay in ruins. The few that had been missed scurried over the hills for their lives. Ginkotsu did most of the damage to the huts and buildings, as was evident by the cannon scorch marks and holes. Most were barely clinging onto their structures.

"That was over way too soon." Jakotsu jumped onto Ginkotsu's platform with the others.

Renkotsu merely rolled his eyes. '_What a baby…'_

"To the castle," Bankotsu stood up and pointed forward.

Ginkotsu blasted the doorway open and the men cheered before hoping off the machine and running into the castle.

Jakotsu searched the rooms and let out a loud squeal of excitement when he spotted something in the corner. He ran over to a wall covered with kimonos and filled his arms with every one that he got his hands on.

"Hey, Ginkotsu, come here."

Ginkotsu rolled up to Jakotsu allowing his friend to pile a spot on his platform with Kimonos.

Renkotsu simply stood there wearing a pinched expression and tapping his foot. When his eyes landed on Jakotsu he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Bankotsu and Suikotsu left the other three in the main area of the castle to seek out more useful supplies. They first entered the kitchen. Suikotsu grabbed a handful of plates, forks, spoons and knives. Bankotsu snatched kettles, a larger kettle for brewing stew and a few bottles of Saki.

The two made their way back to the others. They found it difficult to find spots on Ginkotsu to place the utensils since most of the platform was piled with kimonos and jewelry.

_'Typical Jakotsu,'_ Bankotsu chuckled. "Alight men, we will take the supplies back to our newly acquired castle and then go raid some other random village."

The men cheered eager for more slaughtering. As the rolled along the path Ginkotsu created earlier, something in the distance caught Bankotsu's eye.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: Pieces of the new plot are already shown by the second chapter. Feedback is important so I know whether or not you all like or don't like what has been done. XD**


	2. Midoriko's Warning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge**

**Chapter 2: Midoriko's Warning**

Jakotsu squinted. "Big brother, what's that bluish mist up ahead?"

Bankotsu stared at the mist. _'Whatever it is, it can't be much of a threat because it is transparent.'_ As Ginkotsu moved closer to it Bankotsu just made out the figure of a woman.

"Stop, Ginkotsu."

The metal monster halted abruptly, causing Renkotsu to fall over onto Suikotsu. The doctor shoved him back up. "Get off me."

"Gesh?" Ginkotsu blinked with his one eye. _'Too bad I can't see as much as the others.'_

Bankotsu retrieved his beloved Banryu and hopped down from the platform. He turned to his comrades giving them a 'stay here and don't interfere look'.

_'When Bankotsu gives that look we know to stay put… or suffer dire consequences.'_ Jakotsu watched his leader and best friend in admiration as he walked down the path toward that mist. 

Suikotsu sat on Ginkotsu with his arms folded behind his head. At first glance it appeared as though he was sleeping, but he knew better than to rest when Bankotsu would be bringing back news of some sort.

Renkotsu snorted. _'Why the hell in the name of Buddha does Bankotsu get to be the leader? He has the skills to fight demons… but he is childish needs to grow the hell up.' _He sighed heavily._ 'Kyokotsu and Mukotsu are dead again. Where was our 'great and fearless' leader when they got slaughtered? Some leader.'_ He sent a resentful stare to his leader's retreating back_. 'He is using us for his own personal gain.' _He ground his teeth and clenched his fists.

Bankotsu approached the blue mist with his shoulders hunched and rubbed his eyes. _'Why am I moving so slowly?' _ He blinked and saw that mist was no mist; it was the apparition of a woman with her eyes closed. He took in her warrior armor and the sword on her hip.

"You must be one of Naraku's illusions." He swiped his mighty halberd at the figure, but the sword just went right through and the figure remained where it was. Bankotsu's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

The ghost's eyes popped open. They were indigo blue glowing marbles that enthralled him.

He titled his head to one side and pulled Banryu into a defensive position. "State your business or leave."

"I am the priestess Midoriko." Her soft tone almost made him want to listen, similar to a siren's.

"How can that be? She died way before I did."

"My spirit still lives on in the sacred jewel. Since the jewel was shattered by the priestess Kagome, I'm finding it hard to contain the evil spirits of demons. Demons are growing more powerful by the minute and without the fully intact Sacred Jewel this world is in grave peril."

He blinked and then stared at her. "So, why appear to me?"

"Your powers are greater than all the warriors of this world combined. But your powers alone will not be enough to save Japan."

He scoffed. "If you doubt my abilities then why seek me out?"

"She shook her head. "On the contrary, your powers are formidable. I've sought you out because _only you_ can do what will be required."

He frowned. "Which is?"

Midoriko repeated. "Your powers will aide you well, but they are not enough."

His eyes blazed with annoyance. "Get to the point already."

Midoriko stared into his eyes as if staring into his soul. "You must find the priestess Kagome and wed her."

His eyes bulged. "Are you out of your - ?"

She silenced him with a wave of her hand. "Be silent and listen. Now, as I was saying, with your combined powers you will be able to spare the world in which you live."

He glared daggers at her and tapped his foot. _'How dare she pull such a dirty trick on me? I'm going to…'_

"Hurry warrior. Continue on your quest, but take heed. With each day that passes you put everyone and everything in greater danger." She waved her hands and was gone.

"That dirty rotten wench! How dare she silence me_,_ the most feared man in all of Japan and then just vanish?" His nostrils flared and his grip on Banryu tightened turning his knuckles white. _'You will pay for that, mark my words!'_

He kicked a rock sending it flying through the air to crash into and leave a dent in a tree. _'Why should I have to marry Kagome in order to save Feudal Japan? Why can't we just form an alliance and save it that way?' _He scowled at the vacant spot. _'Damn that Midoriko, she has the answers but of course she's fled like a coward.'_

With anger rolling off him in waves Bankotsu stomped over to his brothers. Nobody bothered asking questions, because they knew better than to bother their leader when he was like this.

He drug a hand down his face and sighed heavily. "I have some terrible news."

Renkotsu was the first to speak up. "What is it about?"

Bankotsu snorted. "I'll tell you all later. For now, let's get back to the castle and unload this shit." He hopped onto Ginkotsu. "Move out!"

The earth rumbled as Ginkotsu took off toward their hideout.

Renkotsu removed his bandana from his bald head and frowned. _'What could possibly seem so dreadful to Bankotsu? He usually never lets anything upset him.'_

A medium sized castle n the middle of nowhere appeared on the horizon. Renkotsu sighed. _'At least the hide out is in a remote location. Even Inuyasha and his friends would have trouble finding it, because nobody ever comes this far in the neck of the woods.'_

Ginkotsu parked just outside the door of the castle.

Automatically the men then went to work unloading stuff.

When they stumbled upon this place the only things found inside were the tables in the dining area, the beds and some benches in the dying courtyard.

Bankotsu blinked at the large pile of blankets and pillows and nodded. _'Looks like Renkotsu did more than just stand around while we pilfered these items a little while ago. Then again Renkotsu does like to sleep comfortably.'_

Jakotsu was unloading his kimonos. He took them into the room he had picked, which was right across the hall from Bankotsu's.

Bankotsu shook his head. _'Jakotsu could take three baths a day and the supply of kimonos wouldn't even begin to run low.'_

Suikotsu made his way to the room left of Jakotsu's. He threw the pillow and blanket Renkotsu gave him onto his large bed. _'All the beds in this castle are large.' _He finished making his bed and walked over to the window and yanked down the curtains. _'Ugh I hate yellow, it's too girly.'_ He shuddered and tossed them into a heap by his door.

"Renkotsu, you and I will put away the utensils."

Renkotsu grunted acknowledgment and followed his leader into the kitchen.

Bankotsu stuffed the utensils into some drawers and shook his head. _'I'll break the news when everyone has finished.'_

By the time the Shichinintai reformed in the main hall of the castle, it was nearing sunset.

Bankotsu helped himself to one of the bottles of Saki and motioned for his men to sit down.

Despite being tired they immediately sat down giving him their full attention.

Suikotsu was the first to speak. "So, what's this dreadful news you received?"

Bankotsu quickly took a sip of Saki and then tossed it to Jakotsu. The others did not drink Saki.

Bankotsu sat up straight and stared at each of his men before speaking. "You remember that blue mist we saw?"

Renkotsu nodded. "I thought it was something Naraku had sent."

Bankotsu sighed. "So did I, but it wasn't anything from Naraku." His fingers drummed on the table. "It was the spirit of a woman... A priestess."

"Kikyo?" Ginkotsu questioned.

"Technically, Kikyo is alive as long as she walks the earth." Suikotsu corrected.

Bankotsu shook his head. "Iie, she was the legendary priestess, Midoriko."

Their eyes widened and a collective of gasps echoed throughout the room.

Renkotsu's brows furrowed. "But, why would she come to you?"

Bankotsu took the bottle and tossed back another large swig. He slammed the bottle on the table. "She said Japan is in grave danger and that I was the only one who could save it." His forefinger traced the bottle neck.

"Then do it." Jakotsu piped.

Bankotsu scowled. "It's not that simple. She told me that I have to find that Kagome girl and marry her, because my powers alone would not be enough." His fingers squeezed the bottle shattering it in his hand.

Jakotsu choked on his saliva. "You mean you have to marry Inuyasha's bitch?"

Renkotsu raised his eyebrows. "Surely you will not go through with this?"

Bankotsu fell silent for a moment. _'Shit! The last thing I want to do is marry Inuyasha's weak wench, but I don't want Japan to perish either.'_ He ground the glass shards between his fingers to a fine dust. "I don't want to marry Inuyasha's wench, but I won't stand by and watched our world destroyed by any hands but ours either."

Suikotsu nodded. "You're going to find her?"

Bankotsu grunted. "I don't exactly have a choice now do I?"

"What about her friends?" Renkotsu asked. "We all know that Inuyasha will try to slay us at first glance."

Bankotsu chuckled opening another Saki bottle. "I think I can convince him."

Jakotsu huffed and sat back with his arms crossed. "So, when do we set out to find the bitch?" He pouted. _'Not that I'm in any hurry for us to hunt a woman, let alone that one.' _

Bankotsu lifted the bottle to his lips. "We leave first thing tomorrow." He drank down half the bottle and tossed the rest to Jakotsu. "For now, let's get cleaned up and into bed."

"Renkotsu, Jakotsu, you two have clean up duty tonight. Ginkotsu, Suikotsu, you two get plenty of fire wood for the night. I'm going to bathe. Don't even think about interrupting my bath."

He stomped off barely restraining from using Banryu to trash the place. The bathroom was at the far end of the east hall. Bankotsu stepped inside, locking the door behind him.

He quickly stripped off his clothes and climbed into the large basin, sighing as the hot water relaxed his tight shoulder and back muscles. Taking a rag he scrubbed the dirt, blood, and grime from his body and then washed his face and hair. He lay back letting the water relax him a while and glared at the ceiling. _'What a day.' _

His hand dragged down his face and he sighed heavily. _'Maybe we can just form an alliance and go from there?' _He leaned back allowing his eyes to close for a moment.

_A loud explosion filled his ears and fire danced in front of his closed eye lids. In his mind's eyes the water of his bath started bubbling and turned into thick, black ooze. The smell of singed flesh and hair assaulted his nostrils. His body jerked and he panted as pure agony flowed through him, paralyzing him. A strong wind blew into the closed room chilling him to his soul. A soft melodic voice whispered into his ears. "Take head warrior… You must marry the priestess Kagome. Every day you delay places your world in more danger."_

Bankotsu's eyes flew open and his breathing labored. He could swear he felt his heart slamming inside his chest. _'What the fuck was that?'_ He shook his head climbed out of the water. He dressed and picked up Banryu, proceeding to the main hall, where the others were waiting. He walked past them not saying a word and went straight to his room.

"I'm next!" Jakotsu grinned and dashed into the bathroom.

Renkotsu rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to bed." Suikotsu walked off to his room.

"Me too." Renkotsu said.

"Gesh." Ginkotsu rolled off outside to his favorite napping spot.

Jakotsu came out of the bathroom some time later, not bothering to say goodnight because he knew everyone was already in bed.

Bankotsu had the biggest, most luxurious room in the castle. He drew the curtains in his room and locked the door. _'That settles it, tomorrow we will find Kagome and I will convince her we must marry.' _He sighed heavily._ 'Which is not going to be an easy task… especially with that damned half breed guarding her.'_ He sat on his bed and hung his head. _'I'm so not looking forward to this.'_ He flopped back onto his bed and covered his eyes with his arm falling into a fitful sleep.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: Okay there is chapter two. As you can see some of the plot has already changed a little, but not much. I have added some new twists to it already {like Midoriko making Bankotsu shut up while she finished talking and the unmistakable warning while he is in the tub} Let me know what you think of the changes. Remember I won't know if you all like what I've done or not without feedback. XD**


	3. First Obstacle!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge**

**Chapter 3: First Obstacle!  
**

Before going to sleep last night Kagome and company finished helping Kaede gather all the medicinal herbs she would need for awhile.

"Be sure to put the baskets in their proper places." Kaede ordered. "Patients will be showing up soon."

Kagome retrieved and placed a few baskets on a shelf. A loud knock sounded on the hut.

"Come on in," Kaede opened the door.

An elderly man entered the hut dragging an unconscious younger man. The younger had slashes all over his body.

Kaede looked the patient over. "Lay him down over there." She pointed to a pile of blankets. "Miroku, bring me the pain-relieving herbs."

The monk did passed Kaede the basket.

"Boil some water and place the herbs into the cup."

Kaede flushed the wounds with lemon juice to disinfect them. She pulled out a needle made from a small demon bone and pulled out several horse tail hairs. Kaede thread the horse hair through the needle and then sewed the deepest gash on the man's chest.

Fresh blood oozed from the wound. As the scent wafted to Kagome's nose, she clapped a hand over her mouth and ran out the door. Once outside she bent over heaving the contents of her stomach.

Sango placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Easy Kagome, take slow deep breaths."

Kagome tried to do as her friend instructed. Once her stomach stopped roiling she sighed and wiped her sleeve across her lips. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

Sango nodded. "Why don't you go find Inuyasha and keep him company a while."

The young priestess nodded. "Okay." She walked off and found Inuyasha outside talking to a villager. Inuyasha's expression was grim.

'_Uh oh, I know that look.'_ Kagome's breath hitched. "What's going on, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha glanced over at Kagome as she approached, then turned back to the man. "This gentleman was just saying something about a nearby village being destroyed."

Kagome eyes grew wide. "How?"

The man shrugged his shoulders. "Nobody knows for certain. Some say it was the work of demons, but others say it was the newly resurrected Shichinintai."

"What?" Inuyasha started pacing with his hands behind his back. "Damn those bastards."

"They were mercenaries who - "

Inuyasha snorted. "I know damn well who they are. Those filthy scum are still causing trouble? Two of them sent back to the grave doesn't seem to have changed them at all." He clenched his fists. "Damn them!"

The villager's eyes went wide as saucers and he slowly backed away from the raving hanyou.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered.

Inuyasha looked at the frightened village man and then dropped his gaze to his feet, scuffing the dirt. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. My friends and I have been trying to defeat the Shichinintai since they were revived. I hate hearing about innocent people suffering by their hand."

Kagome's eyes dulled. "They're so brutal."

"Well, good luck to you," the man turned and ran away.

Kagome turned to her friend. "What do you think, Inuyasha?"

"With powerful demons popping out of nowhere we can't leave the village unprotected. We will have to defeat whoever is behind the demon surge first."

Kagome nodded. "I agree."

"Let's get back to Kaede's." They turned to walk back to Kaede's and heard a shrill scream coming from up ahead. They ran back towards the hut.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku rushed over to Inuyasha. Sango right behind him. Kirara was behind them in her larger form.

"Something's going on." Inuyasha drew and transformed Tetsusaiga. "Kagome, get back inside the hut with Kaede and the wounded."

She stared at his leg and gasped. '_His leg hasn't healed yet? What is going on?' _Kagome ran into Kaede's hut. '_Inuyasha, please be safe_.'

Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango wasted no time in finding out what was going on. A demon popped up right in front of Inuyasha. _'Man this thing is even uglier than the last one.' _It looked like a mutated goat.

"Where are all these filthy vermin coming from?" Inuyasha clenched a fist and shook it at the sky. "Damn it all!"

Inuyasha leaped into the air landing behind the demon. He hacked its backside, but the demon sustained no damage. '_Not even a scratch? What, does it have some kind of protective armor or something?'_

After a few whacks it grabbed hold of the half-demon with its thumb and forefinger, dangling him in the air before tossing him to the ground.

"Inuyasha!" Sango automatically positioned her Hiraikotsu ready for battle.

"Stay back!" Inuyasha slowly got to his feet. _'Damnit the wound on my leg has reopened.'_

"Inuyasha, you cannot fight much longer in your condition. Move away!" Miroku warned raising his hand in front of him.

Inuyasha snorted. "You stay out of this Miroku." He raised Tetsusaiga above his head. "Wind - "

The demon grabbed hold of his sword and knocked it away. It landed at the base of a nearby tree too far for Inuyasha to retrieve. _'Fine I'll use my claws then.'_

The ugly goat hybrid did not let its guard down one bit. With a swipe of its hand, Inuyasha was on the ground again. Its spiked hoof slashed at his chest causing blood to splatter with every strike.

"We've got to do something, Miroku!" Sango tossed her weapon. It sailed towards the goat hybrid causing it to jump away from Inuyasha and snarl with foam dripping from its mouth.

"I've got it!" Miroku undid his prayer beads and planted his feet in a horse stance. "Wind Tunnel!"

The demon tried to anchor itself to a tree, but the Wind Tunnel was too powerful. Its spiked hooves ripped from the bark of the tree and the demon was sucked into the void.

Miroku closed his hand and wrapped the beads in place. He shook his stinging hand. "At least that's over."

Sango knelt down beside Inuyasha. Her eyes wide with shock stared at Miroku. "He's unconscious."

_'That was some kind of demon hybrid.'_ He frowned. "Another ridiculously strong demon popped out of nowhere and injured Inuyasha." He shook his head. _'It makes no sense.'_ He bent down carefully lifting his friend. "Let's get him back to Kaede."

Miroku draped Inuyasha over Kirara's back. She walked rather than flew.

Kagome's eyes widened and filled with moisture as she ran over to them. "What happened?" She moved Inuyasha's matted hair and tried to look him over for injuries.

Kaede frowned. "Oh dear, get him inside quickly." She turned to the emotional priestess. "Kagome, ye need to pull yerself together because I will need ye to assist me."

Kagome nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Kirara walked inside the hut, where Miroku lay Inuyasha down on the pile of blankets.

"Poor Inuyasha," Shippo moaned. "He's always so stubborn."

Kagome knelt beside his left side and ran a warm washcloth over his forehead. "Are you certain he will be okay?"

Kaede flushed out his wounds. "Ye forget he is a hanyou and has a faster healing ability then we humans."

Kagome's brows knit. "But his leg still hasn't healed either."

Kaede looked over his leg. "That _is_ strange." She went back to tending his chest wounds and sewed the deepest ones shut.

Sango placed her hand on Kagome's shoulder.

Kagome rubbed a paste of medicinal herbs on Inuyasha's wound after Kaede sewed it up. "Miroku, help me lift him."

Miroku did as asked.

Kagome wrapped a bandage she'd brought from her era around his chest.

Once he was all patched up Kaede decided to place extra gauze on his wounded area, to keep the blood seeping through to a minimum.

Miroku covered him with a blanket and lit some spiritual incense for relaxing.

Inuyasha was bound to be a little out of it when he woke up and the incense was for calming the spirit.

'_Inuyasha,' _Kagome's repeatedly bathed his brow. _'Why is all of this happening?'_

**XOXOXO:**

Bankotsu woke up and knocked on Jakotsu's door.

Jakotsu grumbled. "What is it?" He yanked the door open. He blinked at Bankotsu and blushed. "Um, sorry. I thought you were – "

Bankotsu waved it off. "I've come to ask a favor of you."

Jakotsu blinked. "Sure Bank, you know I'd do anything for you."

Bankotsu smiled. "We both know convincing Kagome isn't going to be easy… I figured I'd take along a few kimonos for her to show her my sincerity."

Jakotsu sighed. "And naturally you chose mine."

Bankotsu grinned. "Because I know you only take the best of them."

Jakotsu huffed. "Fine go ahead. But you can't have anything with butterflies on it or any of my lavender ones."

Bankotsu chuckled. "Thanks Ja."

Jakotsu sighed heavily. "Do you really have to marry her?"

Bankotsu snorted. "Hai and I'm not looking forward to it anymore than you are." He searched through the kimonos and picked up three that looked like they would fit her. He tossed them over his shoulder. "Don't worry Ja, I'll get you some to replace them."

Jakotsu sat in front of his mirror and fixed his hair. "Yeah sure," he waved Bankotsu out of his room and placed his butterfly hairpin in to hold his hair right. He pilfered through his stack of kimonos and packed three into his small bag.

Bankotsu chuckled and walked back to his room, where he finished preparing for the trip. He packed a small bag and picked up his Banryu. He walked into the dining room where breakfast was sitting on the table.

Jakotsu, Suikotsu, and Renkotsu walked into the room placing their bags next to their chairs.

"Eat up men. We have a long day ahead of us." Bankotsu ate his food not really tasting anything. _'When Naraku first brought me back he told me about a small village not far away from Inuyasha Forest. We'll check there first.'_

Thirty minutes later they were on Ginkotsu as he plowed across the path leading to the Inuyasha forest.

Jakotsu jumped up, grabbing the handle of his Jakotsuo. "There is a demon, up ahead!" He hopped down from Ginkotsu.

"Stop, Jakotsu! This one is mine. The rest of you, stay put." Bankotsu stood as Ginkotsu came to a jolting stop, knocking Renkotsu off his platform.

Renkotsu straightened himself up, dusting off his clothes. '_Damn, when do I get a closer seat to the middle?_

Pouting Jakotsu walked back over to the others. _'I better get first shot at the next one.'_

Bankotsu took off after the demon_. 'Hm, nothing too strong, it's just a bird demon. When am I going to get a decent opponent?'_ Bankotsu approached the demon.

It flapped its massive wings trying to blow him away.

He stabbed Banryu into the earthen soil and held on as the wind passed him. Bankotsu chuckled. "I see you'd like to be finished off quickly."

The bird screeched in reply, forcing Bankotsu to cover his ears and stumble back.

"Not going to play fair, eh?" He smirked. "Then neither will I." He raised Banryu high into the air, slicing down in one fluid motion. "Dragon Hammer!" He sent the flash of blinding purple light straight at the demon.

Bankotsu shook his head. "That was over much too quickly. I need a real opponent." He turned and started walking back to his friends.

The dragon hammer attack usually wasted any demon it came into contact with, but today was different. The bird demon only had a large gash on its back. Slowly it snuck up behind the mercenary. It screeched forcing him to slap his hands over his ears. It flapped its wings and sent Bankotsu flying into a tree. He grunted as his head collided with the tree and then his unconscious body dropped to the ground.

"What was that loud thud?" Jakotsu leapt off the metal machine. "I'm going to look for Bankotsu!"

Suikotsu's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? He told us to stay put!"

Jakotsu ignored him and continued running in the direction Bankotsu had gone. _'He's been gone way to long.'_

"Let's go follow Jakotsu." Suikotsu sighed._ 'Something must have happened.'_

Jakotsu came upon Bankotsu and saw the aftermath of the Dragon Hammer. His eyes bulged when he saw the bird demon preparing to eat his leader. Jakotsuo flew at the demon. "Get away from him!"

The bird hopped back and screeched.

"Hey, bird brain, over here!" Renkotsu shouted. The bird spun around, right into a solid wall of flames. The bird screeched as the flames consumed it reducing it to ashes.

"Bankotsu, wake up!" Jakotsu shook his friend gently with tears filling his eyes.

'_His is barely recognizable under all the dirt and blood._' Suikotsu knelt down placing two fingers on his throat. "He's still alive, just knocked out. I don't understand something, though…"

"Gesh?" Ginkotsu grunted.

"Why is it that Renkotsu's fire killed the demon when Bankotsu's Dragon Hammer could not?"

'_That is strange.'_ Renkotsu sighed. "The day you find something instead of water that can overpower fire, you let me know."

Suikotsu frowned. "Let's get him back to the castle."

Jakotsu sighed. "What about that village Kagome is in?"

"It's much closer." Renkotsu added.

Suikotsu snarled. "And how do you expect us to convince them we're not looking for a battle? Without Bankotsu, we might as well _let_ them slay us."

"Kagome seems to carry some unusual medical stuff. There must be something she can use." Jakotsu's lower lip trembled. "We have to do something or big brother will die." Tears streamed from his eyes.

Suikotsu huffed and carried Bankotsu over to Ginkotsu.

Jakotsu wailed. "Suikotsu help me!" He was trying to drag Banryu over to the tank-like member.

Suikotsu rolled his eyes. "Come on Renkotsu."

Renkotsu grunted and the three of them managed to drag the large weapon near the tank. "On three… one, two, heave!" Panting the trio barely managed to get the large weapon laid next to it's owner.

They climbed onto the tank and sighed.

Renkotsu frowned. _'What is going on?'_ He tapped Ginkotsu's cannon. "Take us to the village near Inuyasha forest. "

"Gesh." he rolled off.

Suikotsu sighed and placed a wet cloth on his leader's forehead._ 'If we're going to do any persuading, we must first convince them that we have no intentions of fighting… which will prove difficult considering how much Inuyasha hates us.' _He stared at his leader and frowned at how weak the pulse was growing. _'I just hope they will help him.'_

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: So that's chapter three. Why are all the demons so strong? Why are the Inutachi and Bankotsu barely able to fight them? Why is Inuyasha healing so slowly? You'll have to read on to find out. XD  
**


	4. A Shaky Alliance

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge**

**Chapter 4: A Shaky Alliance**

Inuyasha kept his eyes on the door. The incense had succeeded in calming him down marginally. He sat waiting for the stew Kagome promised to bring him. His haori was fully intact. Pain stabbed through his chest causing him to wince. _'Damn, I guess I won't be fighting demons anytime soon.'_

"You're awake." Miroku walked into the hut and sat beside his friend. "You gave us quite a scare."

"What the hell happened to me?"

"You were knocked unconscious by that demon you fought earlier. Kaede and Kagome patched you up as best they could."

"Where are Kagome and the others? Where the hell is my sword?"

"Your sword is safe, it's with Kagome. They're all outside helping a villager rebuild her hut that the demon destroyed."

"I see." The half-demon closed his eyes again, trying to dull the pain of his injuries. _'Damn Kagome, why haven't your medicines worked on me yet?'_

Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara all agreed to help a lady with three kids rebuild her hut. She and her children were forced to sleep outside under some sheets last night. They found themselves rushing to find building material.

The foundation of the hut was already intact. Sango, who was the best builder in the group, pounded some large stakes into the ground to hold the rest up. She nodded and checked over her handiwork_. 'Now when a storm comes the hut will not blow away.'_

"Do you think Inuyasha's alright?" Shippo handed Kagome a rope.

Kagome took the rope and tied it to the stakes. She looked over to Kaede's hut. "I'm sure he's fine, Shippo."

"Don't beat yourselves up over this. Inuyasha will get better with time." Sango drank from her canteen.

They worked on in silence. Kagome mixed up a clay paste so the straw that went over the hut would stay in place.

The village lady approached them with her three kids tagging behind. She smiled. "You have done well. Would you like some rice cakes?"

"Thanks," they each took one off the wooden platter.

The lady walked off still smiling.

An hour later the hut was completely finished. Sango even carved flowers above the door casing.

"It's beautiful Sango. Let's go tell that lady we've finished." Kagome smiled.

The village lady was chatting with some villagers. Upon spotting them she walked over to them.

"We are done with your hut." Shippo said cheerfully, pointing.

The lady's eyes lit up as she ran over to her house. "Oh, thanks so much! I love it!"

A loud crash was heard near Kaede's hut. The four friends exchanged 'what was that' glances and instantly took off.

"Glad we could help!" Sango cried to the woman.

Kaede hurriedly fired arrows into the air as Kagome and the others approached with the sky darkening. They gasped at the thousands of demons crowding overhead.

"Those look like Naraku's demons!" Sango unleashed Hiraikotsu. "Where's Miroku?"

"Inside with Inuyasha," Kaede panted.

Kagome shot her sacred arrows alongside the older priestess. Hiraikotsu kept the demons from getting a clear attack on Kagome or Kaede. No matter how many they killed more moved in to replace them instantly.

Kirara bravely flew in the air slashing apart some of the invaders with her teeth. Shippo shook behind Kaede sending his fox fire at any stray approaching demons. "Why won't they stop coming?"

"We need Miroku!" Kagome fired her last arrow. "He could use the Wind Tunnel."

"Go get him!" Sango struck a demon slicing off its head with Hiraikotsu. "We will hold them off!"

Inuyasha glared when Kagome entered the hut. "Give me Tetsuiga and stay out of my way!"

Kagome huffed. "Stay put or I will use the s-word." She focused on Miroku, who was swinging his golden staff back and forth.

"Miroku, we need your Wind Tunnel." Kagome glanced at Inuyasha who was trying to hide his pain. '_He must still not be healing right.'_

Miroku slapped his staff against his thigh. "Kagome, what's going on out there? How many are there?"

"A lot."

"Let's get this taken care of." Miroku rose to his feet and walked outside the hut.

His eyes widened. _'What in Buddha's name - ? I've never seen so many demons at once.'_ Removing the prayer beads from his right hand, he held it in the air. "Kagome, do any of them have shards?"

She scanned the group detecting nothing. "No."

He braced his feet. "Sango, Kaede, Shippo, get clear!"

They nodded and Sango helped Kaede run away.

"Wind tunnel!" The void in his hand sucked in everything in sight. He braced his hand with his other one and waited until the sky was once again blue and clear. He wrapped the beads in place and lowered his hand, slightly panting.

"I'm glad that's over. I was running out of energy." Sango panted.

His cheeks flushed. "Anytime."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Suikotsu asked as they approached the village. Kagome and her friends were seen in the distance.

"We haven't much of a choice." Renkotsu snorted. "We're almost there. No turning back now."

"Oh well, if anything happens, we'll just have to kill them all and spare Kagome." Jakotsu shrugged.

"We didn't come here to slaughter every living thing." Renkotsu scolded.

As they approached the village nobody seemed to mind them at all. Maybe that was because Bankotsu was unconscious and Banryu was hidden under a blanket. One old man even waved at them.

"That's the hut up ahead." Jakotsu pointed out a spot where Kagome and her friends were chatting.

Ginkotsu rolled closer to the hut.

"Hey Kagome," Jakotsu waved his hand in the air.

Kirara jumped protectively in front of Kagome as the Shichinintai approached. She bared her teeth and growled.

"Miroku…" Sango turned her body preparing to throw Hiraikotsu.

Miroku nodded rushing back into the hut. "The Shichinintai are looking for Kagome."

"What's going on out there?" Inuyasha stood to his feet, despite the blood soaked bandages around his chest. His eyes narrowed. "What could those slime balls possibly want with Kagome?" He clenched his fists.

Miroku stuck his staff in face forcing the half-demon back inside. "Stay put. You are in no condition to fight."

Inuyasha growled but knew Miroku was right. _'Sango better protect Kagome.'_

When the monk returned outside, the remaining Shichinintai except Bankotsu were having a stare down with the girls. They kept their eyes on Sango particularly, expecting at any second for her to launch her weapon.

Kagome saw Bankotsu laying on Ginkotsu and felt her heart slam inside her chest. "What do you want with _me_?" She tried to keep her voice devoid of fear.

"It's hard to explain…" Suikotsu began.

"You won't need to do any explaining," Sango launched her large boomerang.

Renkotsu easily caught the weapon.

Sango blinked._ 'Usually I'm the only one who can wield that weapon.'_

Renkotsu stuck it into the earth and the Shichinintai went on like nothing happened.

"We are not here to fight." Jakotsu motioned for the men to stand down. "Believe me; I don't want to be here anymore than you want us to."

"Nor do I," Suikotsu huffed.

"Gesh." Ginkotsu rasped.

Renkotsu simply nodded his head.

"We're not falling for your trick!" Sango's hand fell to her waist ready to pull out her sword.

Miroku's hand held hers on the handle. "Something tells me we should hear them out."

"Why do you think that?" Kagome frowned.

"First of all they haven't tried to attack us yet." He stared at the Shichinintai. "Talk."

Suikotsu sighed. "Big brother is the only one who knows the whole story and as you see he's…"

Glancing at Ginkotsu's platform they saw the unconscious man. His clothes were soaked with blood.

Miroku mumbled. "We know now that they couldn't have attacked the village."

Kagome squared her shoulders and walked past the Shichinintai. The scent of fresh roses wafted past their nostrils. Jakotsu blinked but watched her closely.

"He's in even worse shape than Inuyasha is." Kagome stated in a flat tone.

Renkotsu stared at her. "He was attacked by a demon back in the forest. He's been unconscious for almost two hours."

"You have to help him Kagome. Please?" Jakotsu clasped his hands together.

She blinked and sighed. "Bring him inside." She walked into the hut clearing a space and laying out the last futon.

As soon as Inuyasha saw them enter the hut he attempted to leap up for battle.

"No Inuyasha, it's all right." Kagome threw up her hands trying to stave him off. "They're not here to fight."

He snarled. "I'm going to send these scum back to their graves!"

Miroku thumped Inuyasha on the head with his staff. "She's telling the truth."

Inuyasha's eyes widened when he caught sight of Jakotsu standing behind Kagome and winking at him. "Hi Yashy pie."

The half-demon rolled his eyes and his face scrunched up as he stumbled back to his futon.

Kaede appeared from the back of the hut carrying a bowl of water. "Who are these people?" She eyed Jakotsu warily.

"They came to give us some news." Kagome replied.

"What is that thing?" The elder miko pointed to the tank like monster.

"That's Ginkotsu; he's our means of transportation." Suikotsu said in a professional tone. "And this is our big brother."

"What happened to him?"

"A bird demon," Jakotsu said as his eyes misted over again.

"Ye will have to help me."

Suikotsu helped Kaede. The others just sat back and watched.

Inuyasha glared at each person in the room._ 'This has got be some kind of trick.'_

Bankotsu had multiple gashes on his torso, arms and legs. _'Hm, his head will require sewing, but the other wounds must be cleansed and tended.' _Kaede carefully flushed his wounds with lemon juice and a rag, cleaning the blood away from his skin and then sewed the gash in his head.

Kagome gently flushed the wound on the other side of his head and placed a fresh paste on it. _'Why haven't the jewel shards healed him?'_

"So, why did you guys call out Kagome's name when you first arrived?" Miroku questioned.

Kagome said nothing and continued rubbing a specialized medicinal herb paste on Bankotsu's arm.

"Big brother will tell you… when he's awake." Renkotsu replied.

"I'm going to kill him when he comes to," Inuyasha balled his fists and his ears twitched.

'_He's starting to feel better,' _Shippo rolled his eyes.

"He's all done." Kagome tossed the bloodied rag into the bowl of water.

"What now?" Jakotsu asked with his brows knitted.

"Let him rest." Kaede cleaned up her supplies and took her leave.

The Shichinintai decided to follow suit.

Inuyasha snorted. "I'm not moving!"

Kagome nodded. "I'll stay with you," she raised Inuyasha's arms wrapping a clean bandage around his chest.

Miroku sighed and kept a close watch on Jakotsu. _'That guy gives me the creeps.'_

Suikotsu watched Sango cleaning her weapon. "What's that thing made of?"

Sango rapidly blinked._ 'Why would he ask me a question of any kind?' _She frowned. "It's made from the bones of demons. My father wielded it before I was born."

"What happened to your father?"

"He was killed by an evil demon." Sango looked up a Suikotsu. "Can you guess the name of the demon?"

"It was Naraku."

She nodded. "How did you know?"

Suikotsu sighed. "He told us about it when he brought us to life with the jewel shards."

"So why do you guys work for him? You know that he's just going to take back your jewel shards sooner or later, right?"

Suikotsu frowned. _'Naraku is most likely just using us as his puppets. I'll talk to Big brother about it later.'_

Back inside the hut Kagome huffed and clenched her hands to keep from slapping Inuyasha's hard glare off his face. _'Bankotsu may be the leader of a band of killers and he may have almost killed us all, but the poor guy is completely unable to fight right now.'_

"Inuyasha quit looking at him like that. Even if he did wake up, he's in no condition to defend himself."

Inuyasha snapped his head around averting his amber glare to the girl. "Are you defending this creep?"

"No, I - "

"Then again, you did help tend to his wounds."

"Just what is that supposed to mean?"

He snarled. "I should have finished him off while I had the chance."

Kagome huffed. "I was just suggesting that it would be cowardly if you battled Bankotsu while he's unconcious like this."

His nostrils flared. "Now you're calling him by his name?" Inuyasha's eye twitched. "Do you like this creep?"

'_Inuyasha seems to be getting better.'_ Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Sit boy!"

Inuyasha crashed to the floor of the hut. He raised himself up. _'Damn her,'_ He got to his feet and went outside, muscles tight with tension.

Kagome followed. "You get back here! We're not finished yet."

Miroku spotted Inuyasha. "Where are you going, Inuyasha?" He watched as the half-demon leaped into a tree.

"Yashy pie, where are you going?" Jakotsu ran over.

"Shut up." He snarled before leaping further into the forest.

"What a hot head," Sango shook her head.

Renkotsu stopped Kagome by grabbing her arm. "What was that all about?"

Kagome huffed. "He's just upset because you guys are here."

Sango pat her on the back. "Kagome, you should go back inside the hut in case Bankotsu wakes up."

Jakotsu watched Kagome go back inside the hut noticing how seemingly graceful she seemed to move. "You know, Kagome's kind of pretty."

Renkotsu snorted. "I thought you hated women?"

Jakotsu huffed and frowned. "I think she could be an exception, for Big brother."

Suikotsu blinked. "Isn't Inuyasha with Kagome?"

Sango cleared her throat. "Um - " She frowned. _'I'm not really sure how to put it.'_

Jakotsu pouted. "I still have the sexy monk."

Miroku was sitting on the grassy ground around the hut. He cringed and scooted closer to Sango.

Renkotsu rolled his eyes and walked off to sit on Ginkotsu's platform.

**XOXOXO:**

Inside Kaede's hut Bankotsu's eyes flew open. His hand flew to his head and he attempted to roll over, but stopped when his injuries burned and ached. He rubbed his temples.

Kagome scooted a little closer peering over his shoulder. "Are you awake?"

Bankotsu jerked at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. He titled his head to look at the girl "Kagome?"

"Hai."

He sat up ignoring his wounds and his jaw clenched. His eyes pinned her with a hard stare. "Let's get one thing straight. Don't go getting the idea in your little head that we're going to be friends. This is just business."

She blinked.

"Now, bring your friends and the others in here."

'_He could be a bit nicer. I just helped save his pathetic life!'_ Kagome moved to the entrance of the hut waving her friends inside. "He's awake." She huffed.

Inuyasha drew his sword but Miroku knocked it to the floor with his staff.

"Inuyasha…"

He huffed._ 'Damn her and that word.'_ He glared at the wall.

"So, can we have the news now that your leader is conscious?" Sango asked. "Or do we have to wait longer?"

Jakotsu sat next to Bankotsu. Jakotsu stared at Kagome. "Before we got here, we were on the way back to our hideout when we saw this woman's spirit appear before us."

"Spirit…?" Inuyasha frowned._ 'Could it be Kikyo? But why would she appear as a spirit?'_

Bankotsu stared at his best friend. "I'll take it from here Ja."

He nodded.

"It was a warrior woman's spirit."

"Midoriko?" Sango's eyes bulged.

Bankotsu nodded. "She told me that the world is in danger and that me and Kagome are the only ones who can save it."

"Why you two?" Miroku asked.

"Something about our combined powers," Bankotsu waved his hand as if dismissing the monk's question. He sighed. "I don't mind teaming up with Kagome… but, there's a catch."

"What's the catch?" Kagome asked.

The entire hut feel silent as Bankotsu stared at each of them. The air grew so thick and charged with energy that Kagome swore she saw sparks in it. Bankotsu let out a heavy sigh. "I have to marry Kagome."

"What," Inuyasha fell flat on his face. He jumped to his feet and stormed out of the hut, knocking down a few trees as he disappeared into the forest.

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Why do _I_ have to marry _you_?"

"Midoriko didn't say." Bankotsu gave Kagome a cold glare making her shiver. "I don't want to marry you anymore than you want to marry me, but Japan's future is at stake."

Jakotsu smacked his shoulder. "Bankotsu… must you act so aggressive?"

Miroku squirmed as Shippo burrowed inside his robe.

"That's not very nice." Sango growled.

"Whatever," Bankotsu snapped._ 'After this is over, I'll kill her friends and make her watch.' _He rose to his feet and limped out of the hut.

"Um Kagome, maybe you should try talking with big brother." Renkotsu said.

Kagome raised her eyebrows. "Are you nuts?" Her heart slammed against her chest and her face paled.

Suikotsu chuckled. "Don't worry, he can't hurt you. He is badly injured."

'_Why the hell do I have to marry a cold blooded killer like Bankotsu?'_ Kagome slowly stood up and followed Bankotsu outside. _'I guess I could try to talk to him... maybe Midoriko said more then he's telling us?'_

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: Okay that's chapter four. Feel free to leave comments, complaints, con crit, {not flames} in a review. Feed back is important to all authors, thanks. XD**

**P.S. I would have updated this up earlier, but ffnet hasn't been letting me update anything until now.  
**


	5. Enlightenment

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge**

**Chapter 5: Enlightenment**

Kagome took a deep breath as she exited Kaede's home.

Bankotsu sat on a hilltop just on the outskirts of the village. He didn't look pissed, but he was still giving off a 'stay away' aura**. **She slowly walked up behind him stopping to stare at his back.

Bankotsu patted the ground beside him. "Sit down, wench."

Kagome huffed. "My name is Kagome, not wench!"

He chuckled. "Very well–-Ka-go-me."

_'He's going to be even worse than Inuyasha.'_ Kagome fought the urge to roll her eyes. "So, why did you go to all the trouble to find me? It's obvious you don't want to play the hero."

He snorted. "Did you miss the part where I said _all _of Japan is in danger? Or are you even stupider than that half-breed?"

Kagome jumped pointing her finger at him. "I've had just about enough of your rudeness. Keep in mind that I could easily purify you if I wanted to."

He chuckled. "And you would do well to remember that I have Banryu." He pat his treasured weapon.

"Why do you lug around such a big sword?" Kagome sighed. _'How the hell can I marry such a brute?'_

"Because it gets the job done," His chest swelled and he smirked. "I'm the only one who can pick up my Banryu."

Kagome sighed and stared at the river below. _'Midoriko must have made some kind of mistake. I can't marry this jerk.'_

Bankotsu sighed. "Just what is your connection to Midoriko and the -?"

The sky instantly darkened. They stared up and found that the entire sky was covered with swarms of demons.

"Oh no, they're back!" Kagome turned around intending to run toward the village.

Bankotsu grabbed her arm. "What do you mean, they're back?"

"Now is not the time to ask questions." Kagome jerked her arm away. "We need to get back to the village and help the others."

When they reached the village a minute later, everyone faced off with the mighty demon swarms.

"Took you guys long enough!" Jakotsu flung his Jakotsou taking out a swarm of the demons that tried to attack him.

Ginkotsu fired his cannons into the air taking out a large number of them and creating a huge smoke barrier.

Renkotsu coughed. "Ginkotsu, stop firing that thing. It's making it harder to see them."

"Sorry." He rasped.

Renkotsu took a drink of his concoction from a gourd and spit fire at a wall of demons, taking them down.

"They just keep coming!" Miroku eyes filled with frustration. His Wind Tunnel opened the minute the demons popped up. His other hand braced the first one and he grit his teeth against the pain in his palm as he sucked the majority of the demons up.

Kaede and Kagome fired arrows, while Sango hovered above the demons on Kirara, sending her Hiraikotsu into the fray.

"Oi monk, close that damned thing before it rips any wider." Bankotsu gripped Banryu. "Renkotsu, keep using your fire. Slayer, protect Kagome, the monk and the old wench."

Bankotsu moved into the middle of the clearing. "Ginkotsu, only fire in the air to protect the slayer's back. Jakotsu, take the left and stay out of my way."

Bankotsu swung Banryu ignoring his wounds and released his Dragon Hammer. He watched hundreds of demon bodies fall to the ground half dead and mangled but still moving. _'Why isn't it killing them?'_

"Where is Inuyasha?" Miroku winced as he closed his Wind Tunnel.

Kagome fired an arrow at a demon that flew past her, above her head. "He took off a while ago. I have no idea where he went."

Suikotsu saw his leader with his halberd. "Brother Bankotsu, you're too injured to fight!"

Bankotsu grunted. "Shut up and fight!" He released the Dragon Hammer again and hundreds more demons came down in a pile of half dead mangled bodies.

"Good job, big brother!" Jakotsu cheered. "Big brother?"

Bankotsu leaned heavily against his Banryu in an effort to stay on his feet.

Jakotsu rushed up to him. "Hang on Bank," he wrapped his arms around his friend.

"There's more coming!" Shippo pointed to the sky before running down Miroku's back.

"Bankotsu!" Kagome felt her heart beat rapidly in her chest. _'Oh no!' _She ran over and put her arms around his waist. "Let's get him over to Ginkotsu."

A hundred more demons prepared to attack them.

"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha broke through the trees and turned to the group smiling sadly. "No use letting that bastard die before he saves Japan." He faced the demon hoard. "Wind Scar!"

After two solid minutes of unleashing of the Wind Scar the demons were finally gone. Inuyasha sheathed his Tetsusaiga.

Sango ran over to Miroku cradling his head in her lap. "Miroku, please hang on." Tears filled her eyes though she refused to let them fall.

Kagome rounded on Inuyasha. "Where were you when we needed you?" Her eyes sparked with anger.

_'If I tell her I went to see Kikyo I'll be sat for sure.'_ Inuyasha sighed. "I was blowing off some steam."

_'Probably with Kikyo,' _Kagome's eyes narrowed.

The Shichinintai all gathered around their leader. Bankotsu sighed and winced as his head hurt and his arms bled again.

"Let me look at you," Kagome walked up to him.

"I'll be fine." Bankotsu snapped. _'I don't need pity from any wench.' _He closed his eyes laying on Ginkotsu's platform.

Brown eyes rolled. Kagome went to Kaede's hut to get some water. Her yellow backpack containing the medical items was slung over her shoulder right before she emerged from the hut.

Bankotsu watched the approaching girl. '_She not thinking about tending to me, is she?'_

"So, you're awake," Kagome climbed up and sat on the sleeping Ginkotsu's platform.

Bankotsu's eyes narrowed. "What of it?"

He noticed her pulling out bandages and glared at her. "Don't you dare put your hands on me!"

She huffed. "I'll be gentle and if I don't you could die."

_'Damn, I don't want to die again'_ He huffed. "Fine, but don't do anything stupid."

_'Why do men have to be so stubborn?'_ She shook her head. "I wouldn't dream of it." She dipped a cloth into the bowl of water and rung it out. She gently took hold of Bankotsu's arm careful not to grab any of the wounds and wiped away the caked on blood. She took out her antiseptic spray and cleaned the cuts.

"What's the story with you and Inuyasha?"

Kagome blinked. "What about him?"

"Why are you with him?"

"Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "Curious."

She frowned. "I'm helping him find jewel shards."

His eyes locked with hers. "Is that all?"

_'What's he so interested in me and Inuyasha's relationship for?'_ She bandaged his wounds on his arms and tended the stitches in the side of his head. "Hai." She placed the bloodied cloth into the water bowl. "Hold still while I bandage up some of these bigger wounds."

Kagome dug through her bag pulling out some gauze and a bandage. She cleansed the wound on his chest. "I need to wrap this around your chest."

Bankotsu removed his haori and lifted his arms allowing Kagome to wrap the bandage around his chest.

She stood up and hopped off the platform.

"Yo girl,"

Kagome turned around raising a brow.

Bankotsu's cheeks turned slightly pink. "Um, thanks, I guess."

She blinked and nodded before heading back into Kaede's hut.

Bankotsu closed his eyes and draped his haori over his upper body.

Miroku sighed. "I suppose it is safe enough to allow let the Shichinintai members to wander around outside."

Sango huffed. "Fine, but they have to keep their weapons to themselves unless a demon shows up."

Miroku nodded.

"Where is Inuyasha?"

"Ah Lady Kagome, he took off as soon as the battle was over."

She sighed and stared at her feet. _'I suppose he's still upset about Bankotsu's bombshell announcement.'_

"Hey Kagome," Jakotsu giggled when the priestess walked over to the hut. "How is big brother?"

"He'll be fine. He just needs some rest."

Jakotsu huffed. "As long as he's not trying to swing that sword around."

Kagome noticed that Ginkotsu, Renkotsu and Suikotsu were not present. "Where are the other three?"

"They went into the woods to look for demons."

"You mean they are actually _looking_ for the demons?"

"We're tough guys Kagome. Um, would you like to hunt for demons with me?"

She blinked and then stared at him like he had grown two heads. "Um, no thanks."

Jakotsu's grey eyes dulled. "They guys just up and left. I don't want to go into the forest without a fighting buddy. Come on, I promise I'll keep you safe."

_'Well it's this or face a ranting Inuyasha when he returns… I might find a shard or two while I'm at it.'_ Kagome sighed and grabbed her bow and arrows. She walked back out of the hut. "I suppose it couldn't hurt."

Jakotsu squealed and took her by the hand. She blinked and then walked deep into the forest with him.

"You're not so bad," Jakotsu giggled.

Kagome frowned. "Um, why are you being so nice to me?"

Jakotsu grinned. "Well any girl who can stand up to Bankotsu has got to have guts."

Kagome blushed. "Um," she pulled her hand away from his. "Thanks I guess."

"So, what about you and Inuyasha?" Jakotsu moved aside a tree branch so she could pass.

She frowned. "You're brother asked me that earlier. I'm just helping him find jewel shards."

"You mean that you don't love him?"

She clenched her fist. "That's no one's business but mine. Even if I did, we can't be together because he loves Kikyo." Her eyes dimmed.

Jakotsu nodded. "What about Bankotsu?"

"He really _does_ hate me. That much is obvious whenever I try speaking to him."

"He doesn't hate you. You just have to impress him. He has never been serious with a woman before and him being a mercenary… Well, he's just afraid." Jakotsu shrugged.

She gasped. "Of women?"

Jakotsu chuckled. "Iie, Iie, Iie, of love."

"He's never been in a real relationship before. Like I said, do something to impress him and you should get along fine. The other guys like you, including Renkotsu and that's rare."

She blinked. "Really?"

He nodded.

"Well Suikotsu seems nice enough."

"Ginkotsu likes you, but he never speaks much. He's handy to have around though."

She blinked. "I'll think about what you said about Bankotsu."

"That's good." In the blink of an eye Jakotsu pulled Kagome behind him and drew his waiting. "Stay back, Kagome. There's a demon coming."

She tilted her head to the side. "Since when are you able to sense demonic auras?"

Jakotsu snorted. "I don't need to. I've been slaying them all my life." He grinned. "Here it comes."

A large bear demon emerged from the trees. Its eyes fixed on Kagome. "How nice of lunch to come to me for a change."

Jakotsu flicked his sword at the bear. "You will not be having the girl for lunch!"

The demon's left ear fell off. While it was stunned Jakotsu took the opportunity to run up behind it and climb up its back. Bringing his Jakotsou down, he chopped the demon's head off and grinned.

Kagome's screech filled the air.

Jakotsu smirked. "I told you I would keep you safe."

She covered her mouth trying not to throw up. "Thanks." She mumbled weakly.

Jakotsu frowned. "Let's get back to your village."

_'How in the world could some girl like me possibly impress a cold blooded mercenary leader like Bankotsu?'_

Before they got to the village Bankotsu walked through the woods carrying his Banryu. "Yo!"

"Are you sure you're feeling well enough to be out?"

The Shichinintai leader eyed Kagome a minute. "I'll be fine, but I need to talk to you." He sent Jakotsu a 'beat it' look.

Jakotsu nodded. "I'll see you back at the village Kagome."

"Sure." Kagome replied. She stared at Bankotsu. "What's up?"

He sighed. "First we need to be somewhere private." He took her by the arm and led her back to the hut.

Kagome entered the hut. "Where's Kaede?"

"She's tending to wounded villagers in another hut. This was too crowded." Sango said.

"Everyone clear out." Bankotsu received strange glares from Kagome's teammates.

"Why?" Miroku frowned.

"I need to speak with Kagome, _alone_."

"Very well. We can go help Kaede." Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara bounded out of the hut.

Kagome sat on her futon. "What is it?"

He placed Banryu against the wall and sat across from her. He folded his arms across his chest. "What is your connection to Midoriko?"

Kagome's eyes widened. "She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" He cocked his eyebrow and tilted his head to the side.

Kagome folded her hands in her lap. "She created the Shikon Jewel."

"Is that so?" He stared deep into her eyes checking for any sign of trickery.

Kagome nodded. "We found her statue in a cave back at Sango's village."

"So, why is her spirit appearing to me and not someone else. Why did she choose _you_ and _me_ to save the world, instead of say Kikyo or Sango?"

Kagome sighed. "I don't know, but I do have my theories."

"Tell me."

Kagome took a deep breath. "Well, Kikyo doesn't have a soul, Rather she uses the souls of other women to stay alive. Because of that I think that Midoriko considers her tainted. Whereas I have a soul and am able to destroy the jewel."

He blinked absorbing all she said and then snorted. "What does having a soul have to do with anything?"

"Well, Shikon means four souls. The four souls represent courage, friendship, wisdom and love."

He scratched rubbed the back of his neck. "I still don't get what you mean."

"I don't understand a lot of it either, but something tells me that may have something to do with everything that has been happening."

Bankotsu snorted. "I don't have a soul either. What about that?"

_'Well you do, but it's tainted too.'_ Kagome frowned. "Good point…"

As if the conversation between the two had been eavesdropped on a familiar blue mist swirled around the hut. A minute later Midoriko's spirit stood before them.

Bankotsu huffed and glared at the apparition. "You have something else for me to do, I presume?"

She nodded her ectoplasmic head. "You and Kagome must travel to the east. There you will find a sword. But getting it will be no easy task. There will be many dangers along the way. Once you retrieve the sword, use its magical power to regain your soul."

Bankotsu's brows shot up and he licked his lips. "Where exactly_ is_ the sword?" He felt a phantom stomach fill with butterflies.

"It's in a cave. There is a carving of a dragon above the entrance. You can also use the sword on your comrades." She turned to Kagome. "You must marry this man if you truly wish to save this era and yours. Trust your instincts child. When in doubt, trust in your champion."

The apparition floated over to the stunned girl and placed a kiss onto her forehead. She whispered into the young woman's ear. "If all else fails follow your heart and remember your grandfather's last story." The wind inside the hut picked up and the apparition and blue mist disappeared.

Kagome sat with her mouth agape. _'What does Grandpa's last story have to do with anything?'_

Bankotsu wore a goofy grin. "Let's go tell the others." He stood up walking toward the door.

Kagome blinked. _'If Inuyasha ever got his hands on this sword he would use it to revive Kikyo.' _Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. _'Would he just cast me aside then or would he still want me around?'_

Bankotsu took her hand in his. "Come on Kagome." He led her out the door.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: Okay there is chapter five. As you can see part of the plot has now deepened. Let me know what you think. XD**


	6. The Inuyasha Obstacle

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 6: The Inuyasha Obstacle**

Kagome and Bankotsu exited the hut to find their friends, minus Inuyasha, gathered outside giving them perplexed expressions.

Shippo sat on top of Miroku's shoulder shivering. "What was that light inside the hut?" Emerald eyes widened with fear. "It was creepy."

Bankotsu and Kagome exchanged a quick glance.

"That was Midoriko." Bankotsu shrugged.

"Did she inform you that you didn't have to get married after all?" Renkotsu grinned. _'I hope not, I'd hate to have a woman in the Schichinatai.'_

Bankotsu's eyes narrowed at his second in command. "Actually she was still adamant about us needing to be married. But, there is something Kagome and I must do before hand."

Miroku shivered at the lustful looks Jakotsu sent him. He inched behind Sango peering over her shoulder. "What is that?"

"We have to go retrieve a sword in the east." Kagome finally spoke.

Sango frowned. "What is this sword Midoriko spoke of?"

"I'm not sure it's safe to say." Kagome sent Bankotsu a pleading look.

'_If Inuyasha finds out about this sword he's going to try killing the guys and me and use it to revive his dead lover.'_ Bankotsu cracked his fingers and stared at each person one at a time. "Let's just say the sword will aide us in the battle against Naraku."

"I don't like the sounds of this sword." Miroku whispered to Sango.

"Me either. But we will have to take our chances. After all Japan's future is at stake." The slayer whispered back. _'Midoriko was known for her strict dedication to protecting this world. She wouldn't joke around about things like this.'_

"So you and Kagome will be going alone?" Jakotsu winked at Kagome and nudged his leader's ribs.

Bankotsu rolled his eyes. He tapped Banryu against his shoulder and nodded. "Midoriko said it's to be just the two of us."

"Too bad you'll be dead before then." Inuyasha jumped in front of Bankotsu and shoved him back. "You will not be going anywhere with her, you filth!" He drew his sword.

'_A tainted shard,'_ Kagome gasped. "Bankotsu, he's being controlled."

"What?" Sango's jaw dropped when she noticed an evil aura surrounding her friend.

"So you noticed, eh? We'll just have to take care of that right now!" Inuyasha lunged toward Kagome.

A terrified scream ripped from her lips as she closed her eyes and ducked down with her hands over her head. Her body tensed and her breath froze in her chest.

Bankotsu used Banryu to stave off the attack and glared at the hanyou. "Iie you don't!"

Kagome opened her eyes in time to see Inuyasha knocked away from her and off his feet.

"You will not lay a finger on the girl as long as I'm here!" Bankotsu pointed Banryu in Inuyasha's face.

"You slime bag," Inuyasha shoved Banryu away with Tetsuiga and got to his feet. "You will not be taking Kagome anywhere right now." He pointed his weapon at the mercenary. "Once I get all the jewel shards I could care less what happens to her."

"Is that all I am to you? A shard detector?" Her face turned crimson and she stomped her foot. "Sit boy!"

Gasps rang throughout the village when Inuyasha did not come crashing to the ground. 

_'The prayer beads have been removed! But how... The only ones who could remove the beads were me, Kaede and… Kikyo.' _Her heart sank.

"That won't work this time, you foolish wench!" Inuyasha tried to attack Kagome with his claws, but failed and instead found himself thrown on the ground.

"I told you to leave her alone." Bankotsu's tone was icy.

"So, you wish to protect this useless trash?" Inuyasha smirked. "Then prepare to die!"

'_Bankotsu is going to fight Inuyasha to protect me?'_ Kagome blinked and stepped back a few paces._ 'Why would he?' _

The sound of metal clanking could be heard for miles as the two tried to knock each others' swords away. Inuyasha broke his free and swung at Bankotsu with great force. Bankotsu did a back-flip landing gracefully on his feet with Banryu out in front of him.

"You're pretty fast. I'll give you that much." Inuyasha laughed coldly.

Kagome snuck over to Miroku. "We have to find a way to get rid of that shard."

"That would require getting close to him." The monk replied with sweat drops running down the sides of his face. He pulled the lapel of his robe from his neck. "I'm not going anywhere near Inuyasha as long as he's like this."

"You could just suck him up into that hole in your hand." Renkotsu suggested.

"Inuyasha is our friend," Shippo hissed.

"But he just tried to kill the girl." Suikotsu scratched the side of his head.

Kagome clenched her fist. "He's being controlled by a tainted shard."

Sango frowned. "You could always try purifying him with a sacred arrow."

"Sango!" Kagome gasped._ 'Actually… that might work.'_ Kagome shook her head and raised her bow notching an arrow.

"I've had enough of you!" Inuyasha raised his sword and smirked as he brought it down hard. "Wind Scar!"

A blinding light rolled towards Bankotsu. Inuyasha's smirk vanished and his jaw dropped when the attack diminished within two feet of striking its target.

'_A sacred arrow?'_ He glared at Kagome. "You'll pay for that, wench!"

"Snap out of it Inuyasha, or the next one will go in your neck," Kagome notched another arrow.

'_Now she's protecting him?'_ Inuyasha snorted derisively. "What? Now you suddenly have feelings for this scumbag?" Inuyasha spat on the ground. "Pathetic, you two disgust me." He leapt backwards into the trees.

"The coward ran away." Bankotsu snorted and walked over to Kagome.

"With Inuyasha being controlled there is not telling what he will do next." Sango warned.

"What now?" Jakotsu stood next to his esteemed leader.

Miroku sighed. "I'll give you one guess who is controlling him."

"I'll bet you anything it's that fucker, Naraku." Bankotsu huffed.

Kagome sighed and nodded. "Most likely, I mean he's a master at mind games and manipulating people's feelings."

They all looked towards the trees where Inuyasha had disappeared.

Miroku shook his head and a shiver ran up his spine. He frowned. "Inuyasha will no doubt come after Kagome and the shards again."

Bankotsu placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "He won't lay a hand on her without getting through me first."

Kagome blinked and then whispered. "Thanks." She stared at the ground. _'I just hope Inuyasha doesn't do anything rash in the meantime.'_

Bankotsu nodded. "We should get going."

Kagome frowned. "What about your wounds?"

Bankotsu chuckled. "Almost completely healed. See for yourself." He pushed up his sleeve to show her his scarred but healed shut arm.

She sighed. "Okay, but first I need to get a few things from Kaede, just in case."

Bankotsu nodded. He walked over to Jakotsu and his men. "While we are gone I want _all_ of you to assist the slayer and the monk in protecting this village."

Renkotsu blinked. "Big brother, are you sure that is wise?"

Bankotsu's eyes narrowed. "Are you questioning my orders Renkotsu?"

The bald headed man swallowed. "Iie," he bowed his head.

Bankotsu nodded. "You better not forget it either. Jakotsu, I'm leaving _you_ in charge this time."

Renkotsu's jaw dropped. "But I'm usually – "

Bankotsu silenced him with a stern glare. "This time _Jakotsu_ is in charge." His voice was hard with an unmistakable verbal whip in it.

Renkotsu cringed and bowed his head. "As you wish," he scowled and walked over to Ginkotsu.

Bankotsu faced his best friend. "Jakotsu, make sure no one goes anywhere alone under any circumstances."

Jakotsu nodded. "Hai Big brother."

The teenage leader turned to his doctor. "Suikotsu, you are to assist the old miko in any way needed."

Suikotsu blinked and nodded. "Hai."

Bankotsu shot an icy stare at the bald member of his group. "Renkotsu, I want you to clean and refresh any of Ginkotsu's armory that need it. He is to be ready for battle at any given minute and _you_ are charged with making sure he stays in top fighting condition."

Renkotsu nodded and started inspecting his friend's armory.

Bankotsu pinned his trusted companion with a hard look. "I trust you will see that my orders are followed to the letter."

Jakotsu nodded. "Hai Big brother, you can count on me."

Bankotsu leapt onto the back of Ginkotsu's platform and pulled out his whetstone. He laid Banryu across his lap and polished it. _'Midoriko said there will be many dangers along the way. So I want this baby nice and sharp.'_

Twenty minutes later Kagome walked over with her bag slung on her shoulder. Her bow was over her other shoulder and the quiver of arrows was sticking out of one corner of her bag. "I'm ready to leave whenever you are."

Bankotsu smirked as a hair from his head slid on Banryu's point and split into three separate pieces. _'Now that's sharp.' _He hopped down holding Banryu firmly in his grasp. "Let's go then."

"Wait!" Sango ran over to them. She pinned Bankotsu with a hard glare. "If anything happens to her, I'm coming after you."

Bankotsu chuckled, wrapping an arm around Kagome's shoulder. "Relax slayer, I'll take real good care of her." He tugged Kagome against his shoulder and winked at the warrior woman.

Kagome blushed at how close he was to her and pushed away. She plucked his arm off her shoulder.

Sango's eyes widened and then she rolled them. '_Great, another Miroku.' _She turned around and walked over to the crying Shippo. "Shh Shippo, she will be fine."

Bankotsu turned serious and faced the young priestess. "Let's go Kagome." The two walked off side by side into the trees.

**XOXOXO:**

'_We will meet up again mercenary scum and when we do I'll destroy both you and the wench.'_ Inuyasha walked through a dark corridor looking for someone.

Kohaku and Kanna were standing up ahead waiting for the half-demon. Kanna held her mirror revealing Kagome and Bankotsu leaving.

Inuyasha peered into the mirror and scowled. "Still planning on taking their little trip, eh?"

"Hai." Said Kohaku. "Master Naraku wishes you to go destroy Kagome's friends first."

He blinked. "Why?"

"So they will not get in the way."

His face spread into a malicious smirk. "I see."

Kohaku and Kanna made their way back down the corridor.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: So that's it for chapter six. I hope you like it so far.**


	7. The Journey Begins

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 7: The Journey Begins**

The Shichinintai, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippo all stood before Inuyasha. Each in their battle stances. Kagura hovered above his head on her expanded feather.

Miroku frowned. _'At least now we know who is indeed behind his strange actions.' _He stared up at the wind sorceress._ "_What evil plot has Naraku cooked up this time?" His eyes fell back to Inuyasha.

The hanyou's normally amber gaze was now black and dull. "We've been ordered to kill you all." He lunged at Miroku with his blade drawn. "And that's just what we're going to do!"

Miroku jumped out of the way and landed a few feet behind the half-demon. "Kirara, help me! The rest of you run for cover!"

Renkotsu snorted. "You're not serious?"

Miroku used his staff to block the sword strike towards Inuyasha's skull. "Just do it. Inuyasha is very dangerous like this."

"Do as he says Renkotsu." Jakotsu drew his sword and ran over to assist the monk.

Kirara roared and leapt to the monk's side, growling at Inuyasha. Miroku climbed onto Kirara's back. "Let's go after Kagura." The neko meowed and flew into the air.

The rest hung back and watched the battle unfold.

Jakotsu licked his lips. "You're finally mine Inuyasha," he flung his Jakotsuo at the half demon. It hit Tetsusaiga and bounced off, back to Jakotsu.

"If you think for one minute you can defeat me-" Inuyasha ran towards Jakotsu. "Then think again!"

He rolled under the half-demon's feet and shot back up, flinging his sword again. This time Inuyasha was the one to leap away.

'_Dodging those wretched blades of Kagura's is no easy task.'_ Miroku grunted. "That's it Kirara, keep charging towards her."

"Die already!" The wind sorceress sent more blades at Miroku.

Kirara dodged and flew behind her, where Miroku tried to get a good whack on her with his staff.

Kagura ducked the blow and snorted. "Stop wasting my time monk." She flicked her fan causing the wind to blow the monk and Kirara back.

'_If Kagura didn't have jewel shards, I'd suck her into my void.'_ Miroku sighed as he stared at the three shards twinkling in the sunlight every time the witch shook her fan.

"I'm tired of this!" Renkotsu ran into the battle.

"The monk told us it's too dangerous!" Suikotsu reached out trying to grab his brother.

Renkotsu ignored Suikotsu's warning and instead took a drink of his concoction, spitting a wall of fire into the battle. "Ginkotsu fire!"

A loud boom echoed for miles when Ginkotsu fired his cannons. When the smoke finally cleared only Miroku, Kirara and Jakotsu remained.

"They ran away again?" Sango blinked and then walked over to Kirara as she landed on the ground.

Jakotsu huffed. His lips pouted. _'Man, I almost had him too.'_

**XOXOXO:**

Kagome and Bankotsu had been walking non-stop for the past four hours and now worked their way up a large mountain. When the climb became too steep for the priestess and she kept losing her footing, Bankotsu stabbed Banryu into the ground and held out a hand to her.

Kagome placed her slender hand in his larger one and gasped as he pulled her over to him. "About another hour of this and we should reach a flat spot."

She panted with sweat rolling down her face. "Are you sure we're going the right way?"

Bankotsu chuckled. "I've traveled nearly every inch of this land for many years now. I know which way we need to go. Besides Midoriko told us to go east and that's where we are going."

Kagome panted and nodded as she moved to stand beside him.

He raised Banryu to his shoulder and kept hold of her hand. "It'll be easier if we just hold hands till we reach the flat spot."

She blushed and nodded. "Um, okay."

Bankotsu made his way up the mountain path and used Banryu to push some low laying branches out of their way. "Why is your kimono so indecently short?"

She blinked. "Um, it's not a kimono. It's a skirt and it's part of my school uniform." Her free hand fiddled with the edge of her skirt.

Bankotsu's brow rose and he turned to look at her. "School…? What's that?"

She licked her lips. "It's where we go to learn about mathematics, history, science and stuff like that."

Bankotsu stared at her bare legs. "We? Who is we?"

She blushed and shifted her feet. "My friends back home and me."

Bankotsu blinked. "So where exactly is your home?" He tugged her up the path.

'_He's bound to find out sooner or later.'_ She bit her lip. "I'm not exactly sure how to explain it."

He snorted. "Try." He tugged her arm a little harder than necessary.

She took a deep breath and sighed. "Well… I'm from 500 years in the future."

He stopped and slowly turned to her. He dropped her hand and pointed to a flat rock. "Sit."

She did as he instructed grateful for a breather.

He pinned her with a searching gaze and found no deceit in her eyes. He shoved Banryu into the earth and leaned back against it with his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Explain."

She shifted under the intensity of his gaze. "Well, you were asking about my connection to the jewel right?"

He nodded.

She tugged the hem of her skirt trying to hide her thighs and spoke seriously. "I was told that I am Kikyo's reincarnation."

He snorted. "By the mutt, ne?"

She said. "Iie, by her sister actually."

He frowned. "The old miko is the dead miko's sister?"

Kagome nodded and took a deep breath. "When I first came to this world, through the bone eater's well, there was an enormous centipede demon. She chased me throwing me into the well. The jewel ripped out of my body and flew into the air."

His eyes widened. "You're telling me the Shikon no tama was _inside_ you?"

She nodded. "After I freed Inuyasha from the tree, we got the jewel back from the centipede woman and he tried to kill me and take the jewel for himself."

Bankotsu snorted. "Duh, he's a hanyou."

Kagome's eyes narrowed at him. "Do you want to hear the rest or not?"

He blinked and then clenched his jaw. He nodded.

"When he attacked me Kaede pulled out the beads and chanted until they fastened themselves around his neck. After that she told me to say a word and I said the first one that came to mind."

His brow rose. "So the beads around his neck are like a leash?"

Kagome blushed and nodded. "I guess you could put it like that." She brushed her sleeve over her forehead trying to wipe the sweat away. "I'm the only one who can use them though and only by saying the word."

He blinked. "Which is?"

She blushed. "Sit."

Bankotsu blinked a few times and then burst out laughing while holding his stomach. "That's poetic justice."

Kagome shrugged. "It was the first thing I could think of."

After Bankotsu finished his laughing fit he tossed her a canteen. "Drink up. We've still got a long way to go before dark."

She nodded and drank deeply from the canteen before capping it and tossing it back to him.

He drank deeply and then capped it and placed it over his chest. "So you're the Shikon no tama's guardian then, ne?"

She blushed. "Hai. Only I kind of accidentally shattered it into millions of tiny fragments and now I have to collect them all and restore it before Naraku gets his filthy hands on it."

He choked a bit and slammed his fist against his chest. "You broke it?" How?"

She sighed. "I was actually trying to save a little village boy from the demon bird that swallowed the jewel. I saw its foot latched onto the kid and took the foot and tied it to my arrow."

Bankotsu's eyes widened.

She shrugged. "I figured even if I was just learning to use a bow the foot had to return to the demon, right?"

Bankotsu chuckled. "Let me guess, the foot went to the demon but the arrow struck the jewel and shattered it, right?"

She blushed and ducked her head. "Hai."

He chuckled. "No doubt Inutrasha was pissed."

She sighed. "Hai he was furious. That's when Kaede explained that Inuyasha and I had to work together to restore the jewel."

Bankotsu stood to his feet and smirked. "You're definitely one of a kind, miko."

She frowned. "Is that supposed to be an insult?"

He shook his head and grinned. "Iie."

She huffed and stared at the scratches on her legs. "If I knew we would be hiking, I'd have gone home and changed into jeans leaving my uniform where it was safe."

He blinked. "That's right you were talking about this 'school' thing."

She stared at him. "Hai?"

He sighed. "I know what mathematics is, but you mentioned some other stuff."

She frowned. "History and Science?"

He nodded. "Hai, what are they?"

'_How can I put it so he would understand it?'_ She chewed her bottom lip. "Well… History is... learning about things that have happened in the past."

He scratched his head. "Have you ever gone to your time and read about something that you went through here?"

She blinked. "Eh, kind of. In fact The Shichinintai are in my history book."

His eyes widened. "Eh?"

She smiled and reached into her bag pulling out the book. She flipped through the pages and showed him. "Here, look."

**XOXOXO:-History Book Passage-XOXOXO:**

Perhaps the most infamous group of killers from the Warring States Era of Japan was a group known simply as the Shichinintai. They were said to have traveled from the Eastern province brutally slaughtering villages in their wake. They served no one lord, but found temporary employment in any battle they came across.

Although there were said to be only seven members they could do the work of 100 men and their raids were um-necessarily savage. Those slain by the Shichinintai were sliced to pieces, burned alive or melted beyond recognition. The only people capable of such atrocities are those with a real penchant for murder.

The most dangerous of all was their leader: Bankotsu. Although he was the youngest member he was also the strongest. Single-handedly the seventeen year old mercenary lead a vicious group of ruthless murderers and kept them all in line. Some say he knew his men so well that he could handle the jobs of each of them but chose not to.

Although many a warlord had employed this group after witnessing the atrocities by this group, the warlords started having second thoughts about the mercenaries whose strength and power they now began to fear. So they sold them out and ordered them hunted down.

The Shichinintai put up a hard fight but it was all in vain. They escaped into the mountains but they were completely outnumbered by the warlords' vast armies of soldiers who came after them. They were finally captured at the base of Mt. Hakurei.

Each was beheaded and their bodies were buried, still the villagers feared their curse and decided to quiet the seven souls and erected a tomb at the base of Mt. Hakurei. This memorial is known as 'the seven man mound'.

**XOXOXO:—End Book Passage—XOXOXOXO:**

Bankotsu smirked at her and his eyes filled with pride. "Hey, we made it into the history books." He gave her a boyish grin.

Kagome sighed and closed her book. "Hai," she replaced the book in her bag. "Grandpa used to spend the evenings telling us stories that his grandpa has passed down about these times."

Bankotsu blinked. "So, did he ever mention anything about us getting married?"

Kagome frowned. "I remember that he started a story about some apocalypse once, but I don't recall him ever mentioning a priestess and mercenary marrying." She sighed. "Then again I never did listen to the end of his stories."

She stared up at him. "Anyways, now you know about me. Tell me a little about you?"

He shrugged. "There is not much to tell."

She huffed. "Come on Bankotsu. I answered your questions."

He sighed and rubbed his chin. "What do you want to know?"

She frowned. "Well, why did you become a mercenary?"

Bankotsu took a deep breath and stared into her eyes. "It was something I could do to dull the pains of a bad childhood."

She blinked. "What about your family?"

He stood up and turned his back to her. "My mother died when I was really young and I never knew my father. I doubt the bastard even knew I exist."

She bit her lip and saw his shoulders tense. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories or old pain for you."

He snorted. "I'm a mercenary, I don't feel pain."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Even mercenaries still have hearts and can feel. No matter how much they try to hide it."

Bankotsu blinked a few times and then shrugged off her hand. He picked up his weapon. "If we want to make it to the top of this mountain before dark we need to get going."

She nodded and picked up her bag and bow slipping them over her shoulders. "Ready when you are."

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: So that's it for chapter seven. Let me know what you think. XD**


	8. Kikyo's Warning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 8: Kikyo's Warning**

Miroku sighed. "With Inuyasha now on Naraku's team Naraku will be even stronger than ever. Having Inuyasha on his side is perhaps the most powerful weapon he could have at his disposal."

Jakotsu snorted. "You're forgetting that you now have someone equally as strong as my Inu koi."

They frowned.

"Bankotsu, duh," Jakotsu slapped his forehead.

Sango blinked.

Miroku nodded and rubbed his smooth chin. "It is true that Bankotsu and Inuyasha appeared evenly matched every time they have fought up to this point."

"It better be safe to leave you guys here with Shippo and Kirara." Sango stared at the Shichinintai members with a warning with her eyes.

"Psh. Don't worry. That old priestess is enough to make me behave." Jakotsu added seriously. "I'll make sure these guys don't try anything funny."

Miroku nodded. "Very well then, Sango and I will be off. We will return once we have something to report." He led Sango towards the bone eater's well.

Suikotsu sighed. "They better not end up hurt."

Sango walked close to Miroku and sighed. "Do you really think Kagome will be okay?"

He nodded. "She is safe with Bankotsu. Something tells me deep down that that mercenary is destined to protect her."

Her hand tightened on her weapon and she exhaled a long breath. "Let's hope he lives up to his promise."

Miroku smiled. "Sango, I'm sure he won't let anything happen to her. After all they are due to wed soon, ne?"

Sango blinked and ground her teeth. "Hai, but is it really necessary? I mean they barely know each other."

Miroku shook his head. "My dear Sango, most marriages are arranged. It's a simple fact of life."

She sighed. "I know, but I want her to be happy and loved." She hung her head.

Miroku pat her shoulder. "As do I."

They'd just made it to the well when something in the distance caught Sango's eye.

"Miroku… is that - "

He nodded. "Let's go and see what she wants."

Kikyo stood besides the well peering into it. She saw the monk and demon slayer walking towards her. _'So they finally came.'_

"Inuyasha's companions," she spoke calmly.

"Normally hai, but, Inuyasha is currently being controlled by Naraku."

She nodded. "Then it is as I feared."

Sango gasped. "What is it?"

Kikyo tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and faced them fully. "A lot… Naraku plans to use the power of the Sacred Jewel to rid this world of all beings which he deems unworthy."

"What do you mean 'unworthy'?" Miroku tapped his staff on the ground.

Kikyo stared into his eyes with soulless brown ones. "Naraku plans to slay anyone who is not worthy to be his servant. Those who are worthy… he plans to use the jewel to make his slaves."

A frowned marred the monk's normally happy face. "That would explain why he chose Inuyasha first."

"Because he knew Inuyasha was capable of destroying anyone he wanted." Sango added.

Kikyo nodded. "In order for Naraku to fulfill his wish the jewel must be complete."

Sango blew out a frustrated breath. "This means he will target Kagome for certain."

Kikyo nodded again. "Now that Kagome and the undead mercenary are working together, she is even more of a threat to Naraku."

Miroku frowned. "How so?"

"With their combined powers, the jewel can become completed and vanish before Naraku gets his hands on it."

Miroku sighed. "He and his companions only live because of the power of the jewel. They won't give up their shards so easily."

Kikyo spoke calmly but with authority. "Hai. Until Bankotsu brings back the sword they were sent to retrieve and resurrects his comrades you two must protect them."

Miroku's eyes widened. "I take it you knew of the sword's existence?"

Kikyo graced him with a tiny smile. "Hai. I did not tell Inuyasha of its existence because I knew he would do everything in his power to retrieve it and revive me."

Sango's brows furrowed. "But isn't that what you want?"

Kikyo stared deep into her eyes. "There was a time when I would have welcomed the chance to live with Inuyasha as we should have. But, since I have been torn back into this world, my only desire is to vanquish Naraku's evil presence from this earth."

Miroku blinked. "You do not wish to live again?"

Kikyo smiled a little wider. "My time in this world is borrowed from the souls of the dying. This is no way to exist. I am a priestess, not a monster. I wish for my soul to be at peace and Naraku's evil to be vanquished."

'_Inuyasha would keep Kikyo with him if he could find a way.'_ Sango blinked. "Then why not tell Inuyasha to let you go?"

Kikyo lowered her head. "Inuyasha would not understand."

Miroku nodded. "Hai he is a stubborn one." He blinked. "So, Midoriko sent Bankotsu to retrieve the sword in order for he and his brothers to give up their jewel shards without perishing." Miroku sighed. "But how do you know what Midoriko charged them with?"

Kikyo shifted her gaze to the monk. "Kagome is not the only one connected to the creator of the Shikon no Tama."

Miroku nodded. "That makes sense."

"You two return to sister Kaede's village. I must go into hiding to strengthen my spiritual powers." With that Kikyo and her soul collector's faded into the sky.

When Miroku and Sango returned to the village, they found the Shichinintai members sitting in a circle around Shippo and Kirara, with Genkotsu as a wall behind Jakotsu's back.

Jakotsu jumped out. "Any news?"

Miroku cleared his throat. "Lady Kikyo informed us that Naraku intends to kill off everyone who is not worthy to be his slaves."

Renkotsu frowned. "That explains Inuyasha then."

Shippo piped up. "I wonder if Midoriko foresaw what was coming and chose Bankotsu to help Kagome destroy Naraku instead of Inuyasha."

"What exactly do you mean? Inuyasha and Bankotsu are about even on power." Sango retorted.

Miroku sighed. "Naraku is not trying to control the Shichinintai because he thinks they will just die eventually when he takes their shards."

Renkotsu scratched the top of his bald head. "So, you're saying that Naraku saw Brother Bankotsu as unworthy to do his dirty work?"

Miroku nodded.

Jakotsu snorted. "What an ingrate. Here we go and do all his dirty work and then he plans to off us as payment?" He paced across the ground in front of the others.

Sango spoke bluntly. "Naraku is only out for himself. He uses whoever he can and once there use is up he has them killed." She stared off into the woods. 'Please Kohaku stay alive until I can free you.'

Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder. "We will find a way to save him Sango. I promise."

She placed her hand over his and took a deep breath. She whispered. "Thanks Miroku."

Miroku faced the others. "No doubt Naraku will eventually come after your shards. So you must be careful at all times."

They nodded.

Jakotsu sighed and stared at the trees. _'I hope you come back soon Bank.'_

**XOXOXO:**

"What's with this air?" Kagome shielded her eyes from the sun and looked up.

"What do you mean?" Bankotsu stopped when he heard her foot falls quiet. He walked up to stand in front of her. "Today is the calmest day I've ever witnessed since being resurrected."

A shiver ran up her spine and her heart felt like a cold fist was closing over it. "It's too… quiet. I've never heard it this quiet before. Even the birds aren't chirping."

'_Ah so she senses something is amiss too.'_ He sighed. "It _is_ strange, but I don't sense any demons around here." He shrugged.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "Since when are you able to sense demons?"

Bankotsu chuckled darkly. "Just because I do not have spiritual powers like you, doesn't mean I don't know the signs. There is an uneasy feeling they give to the air."

She blinked. _'True, but how does he know this?'_

He grinned. "You forget I've hunted demons most of my life." He watched the shock fade from her eyes. "This air is calm and clean, so there is no way any demon is in the vicinity."

Kagome bit her lip and nodded. "You're right. Maybe I'm getting worked up for nothing?"

He smiled and took her hand in his rubbing small circles over the back of her hand with his thumb. "Relax Kagome; if something was here I'd just slice it up with my Banryu." He smirked and swung his sword with great force taking down at least a dozen trees.

Kagome's eyes widened and she leapt back with a pale face.

Bankotsu blinked and then sent her a sheepish look. "What? It's just a few trees."

"Behind you," she shrank back pressing her back against the cliff wall.

A demon stood at least five feet taller over Bankotsu. It appeared to have the head of a snake demon and the body of a dragon with long pointy claws that looked sharp as any sword.

Bankotsu swung around facing off with the demon and kept himself between Kagome and the demon. "I can take him!"

'_Not alone you won't.'_ She stepped up beside Bankotsu and positioned her bow notching an arrow. She closed her eyes infusing her miko ki into the arrow and then opened her eyes.

Bankotsu blinked. "Kagome?"

"We're in this together, remember?" She fired the arrow directly at the demon's chest.

Right before their eyes it fell to the ground in two pieces with its head flopping to the left side.

Bankotsu's eyes widened. _'I didn't know she held that much power.'_ He schooled his face into an emotionless mask and cleared his throat. "I would have taken care of this thing." He smirked. "Maybe I should let _you_ do the demon slaying from now on?"

She blinked and stared at him with her mouth slightly open. "Um, no thanks. Working as a team is good enough for me."

He chuckled. "What? The bad ass miko doesn't like facing demons on her lonesome?"

She raised a brow. "Wasn't it _you_ who said that he'd protect me when we first started this journey?"

He nodded once. "And I will. But I'm not going to play your shinning knight in armor."

She frowned.

He snorted. "It's so not my style." He waved off her pout. "Anyways, this place will be twice as dangerous come night fall, so let's get going and find a safe place for the night."

Several hours later the sun started to set. They found a spot in the forest that was clear of trees.

Bankotsu threw one last stick onto a pile of wood in front of him. "Renkotsu would have this fire going in no time."

Kagome reached into her pocket to pull out a lighter. She ignited the wood with the little "There we go."

Bankotsu frowned and stared at the flames. "What kind of magic was that?" He stared at her with his head tilted to one side.

She laughed. "It's not magic. It's from my time. A little invention we call a lighter. It comes in pretty handy when you're building a fire."

She pulled out several cups of noodles and boiled some water, pouring the steamy water into the noodles.

Bankotsu stared at her with a bemused smile. "You continue to amaze me."

"Eh, how so?" she turned around and blinked. She passed him three cups and showed him how to eat them.

Bankotsu grinned and ate his food. "Never mind."

She blinked and shrugged, but ate her food and placed the containers into the fire watching them burn.

Bankotsu smiled. "You should get some rest."

She pouted. "If only I'd of thought to bring my sleeping bag."

Bankotsu scratched the back of his neck. "You could lean against me."

Kagome bit her bottom lip and stared at him. "Um…"

He laughed. "Come on, I promise I won't bite you."

She frowned but sighed and sat next to him. He placed an arm around her shoulder and her eyes drifted shut.

'_As strange as it may be I feel safe in his arms. He's kind of warm too.'_ She smiled to herself and relaxed her body against him.

'_She's warm and soft.'_ Bankotsu smiled as he watched her drift to sleep. His eyes scanned the area around them and he kept one hand tight on Banryu's handle. _'This is going to be a long night.'_

**XOXOXO:**

Naraku looked through Kanna's mirror. "So, that priestess and that dead-man are growing fond of each other, eh?" His sinister chuckle filled the air.

Kanna spoke emotionlessly. "Master, it appears that Midoriko has placed a barrier around them while they sleep."

Inuyasha looked into the mirror. "Do I kill them now, master Naraku?"

He snorted. "You cannot touch them as long as that spiritual barrier is protecting them. Leave them be for now. Tomorrow I will send you and Kagura to kill them."

Inuyasha's eyes hardened. "What about those wretched Shichinintai in the village?"

Naraku's ruby eyes narrowed at the hanyou. "Leave them alone for now. There's only one task I require of you right now, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's ear twitched. "Which is?"

Naraku stared deep into his subordinate's eyes. "Go find Kikyo and take her life. Then bring her body to me."

Inuyasha nodded." May I ask why you want her body?"

Naraku's face split into a wretched grin and his eyes shone with pure malice. "I am going to vanquish her flesh and bones from this world in order to make sure she can't be revived again."

"As you wish, master," Inuyasha bowed and then ventured off outside the castle. He sniffed the air for Kikyo's scent. Picking it up he headed off toward a mountain in the distance.

**XOXOXO: **

**A/N that's it for chapter Eight. Enjoy. XD**


	9. Inuyasha's Ultimate Test

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 8: Inuyasha's Ultimate Test**

Kikyo found a tree to perch herself in. She put up a spiritual barrier around her. _'I am still weak from my last battle with a demon so it may not hold, but for now it will have to do.'_ She blinked. _'Naraku will send Inuyasha after me eventually. Weak or not if he comes for me I will have to fight him which will play right into Naraku's hands.'_

Sighing she laid her head on the tree trunk and closed her eyes. _'Inuyasha, what happened to you? Why do you not try to fight Naraku's control?' _She stared up at the moonlight sky and blinked. _'Even the souls of the dead cannot sustain my existence for much longer.'_ She stared at her clay chest. "I only pray that I can last long enough to ensure Naraku's defeat." She stared at one of her soul collector's with a piercing gaze and closed her eyes again.

**XOXOXO:**

Kagome stretched and yawned feeling her skin tingle warmly. The sun shinned brightly and the birds sang a soothing melody. _'Peace, quiet, and natural beauty. Times like this are why I love being in this era.' _A content smile crossed her lips.

"Nice morning." Bankotsu walked up behind her. "Don't you think?" He wore an almost docile expression on his face.

Kagome blinked and then smiled. "I didn't think you'd notice."

Bankotsu's smile turned upside down. "Kagome, just because I'm a mercenary doesn't mean that I don't know how to appreciate peace and beauty when I see it." His eyes took in the way the sunlight danced in her hair and the soft natural glow of her paler skin. Bankotsu gently took hold of her hand, pulling her closer to him. He slowly leaned forward. "Beauty is in abundance this morning."

Kagome's eyes widened when his lips stopped a mere breath away from hers. _'Is he about to kiss me?'_

One of his thumbs gently brushed her cheek. His eyes held hers and his voice was almost soft. "I have never seen a more beautiful flower." She could feel his warm breath fanning across her lips and cheeks. Her heart pounded and she swallowed before licking her lips.

His eyes fell to her lips and his thumb gently rubbed her bottom lip. Her cheeks heated with a light blush and her breath hitched. Her lips tingled from his thumb caressing them.

"Mercenary." The unexpected voice caused both Kagome and Bankotsu to jump back.

Bankotsu's eyes narrowed at the intruder._ 'Couldn't she have waited?' _He glanced at Kagome, who stood there blinking as if in a daze.

"Midoriko?" Kagome turned to face the apparition.

Bankotsu sighed. "You've come with important news, I presume?" His gaze now solely focused on the ghost.

Midoriko nodded. "The cliffs ahead are perilous. Many humans and demons alike have attempted to find their way through them on their quest to retrieve the sword you seek. There is but one way out and if you do not find it in time you will both perish." With that Midoriko's apparition vanished.

Bankotsu blinked and slowly turned to stare at the cliffs a mile before them. _'Could those cliffs in the distance really be __that__ dangerous?'_

"Bankotsu?" Kagome moved to his side clutching her bow and bag.

Bankotsu scoffed. "Let's go."

Kagome frowned. "Are you sure about this?"

Bankotsu grinned and tapped Banryu against his wide shoulder. "I'm not about to let any measly cliffs slow me down."

Kagome sighed heavily and walked alongside him staring at the place they were headed to. _'I hope you know what we're doing.' _A cold shiver ran up her spine as her lips thinned into a flat line.

**XOXOXO:**

Jakotsu blanched pointing at a demon that had the head of a fish and the body of a horse. "What the hell is that thing?"

"When will Naraku learn that there is no enemy he can send that we can't handle?" Miroku undid the beads and opened his hand. "Wind Tunnel!" The large demon was sucked up in seconds.

Jakotsu's shoulders slumped and his gaze dropped to the ground. He sighed. "He could at least send something _worth_ fighting."

"Something's bothering me though, Miroku." Sango moved up behind them.

Shippo hopped onto the monk's shoulder. "What is it?"

Sango's brows knit and she chewed her bottom lip. "How come some of the demons that attack us are incredibly powerful, yet they have no jewel shards?"

Miroku sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck. "Naraku must somehow be using the chunk of the jewel he already has to give the demons power without placing shards into them. That way he eliminates the risk of losing any shards."

Renkotsu's eyes widened like saucers. "He can do that?"

Sango shrugged. "With the jewel anything is possible." Her hand tightened on Hiraikotsu.

Kaede finished preparing dinner. "Come and eat everyone."

"That looks good, Lady Kaede." Suikotsu bowed to her.

She smiled and nodded.

Each person helped themselves to a bowl of the rabbit stew.

Miroku's hand stopped midway to his mouth and he stared out the door with eyebrows drawn tightly together. His eyes widened and he placed his bowl aside grabbing his staff.

Sango stopped eating. "What's the matter Miroku?"

He rose to his feet. "I sense Inuyasha's aura and it's coming from the direction Kikyo headed for." He ran out the door.

Sango's eyes widened. "You guys stay here." She ran after the monk.

They raced toward the last place they had seen Kikyo heading.

"Miroku, are you sure that it was Inuyasha's aura you sensed?"

"Hai and it's a lot eviler than it normally is."

_'Why did I not sense this evil before now?'_ Kikyo rose to her feet and readied her bow to face her opponent. "I assume Naraku has sent you to kill me?"

The stripes on his cheeks widened and his voice laced with malice. "Did you figure that out all by yourself, Kikyo?" The full demon flexed his claws and glared at her with cold hard eyes.

She did not flinch, merely stared directly into his red eyes and spoke in her normal calm voice. "I would think that you would have put up a bigger fight against one as pathetic as Naraku. After all he is your most hated enemy."

"How dare you insult my master?" Inuyasha cracked his knuckles as a low growl rumbled from his chest. "I will tear you apart with my claws!"

Despite her shallow breathing Kikyo stood her ground. She raised her bow and notched her arrow. "So, this is what it comes to?"

Inuyasha lunged forward snarling with saliva dripping from his fangs.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango's weapon hit the ground in front of Inuyasha making him leap back and smash his back into one of the larger trees.

"Lady Kikyo!" Miroku ran over using his staff to stave off another attack of the enraged Inuyasha.

"Stay back," She warned aiming her shot. Kikyo released the arrow just as Inuyasha got up.

Snarling he dodged the arrow and jumped in front of her. Using one hand he flung the monk out of the way and his others hands claws dug four inch deep gashes across her clay chest. Blood splattered his face claws and chest. He smirked sadistically and licked the blood from one of his claws. "Miko blood has always been the tastiest."

Miroku pushed back to his feet. "Lady Kikyo!" He moved to run to her side.

Sango held him back and stared into his eyes. "There is nothing we can do for Kikyo." She took a deep breath. "And if we don't get out of here quickly, Inuyasha will come after us next."

"I think it's too late for that." Inuyasha had returned to his hanyou form and held up the Tetsusaiga. "I'll finish you weak humans off with my, Wind Scar!" He moved to lower his weapon.

"Move Sango," Miroku knocked the slayer out of the way rolling with her to avoid the blast. The Wind Scar hit the trees around them causing debris to fly everywhere.

"Sango?" Miroku stared at his intended with sweat running down his cheek. She lay on the ground besides him motionless. "Sango," he lightly shook her shoulder.

It seems I bumped your girlfriend on the head." Inuyasha smirked raising his sword again. "Don't worry you will soon join her."

"Inuyasha, how dare you hurt Sango?" His jaw clenched and his normally complacent eyes swirled with anger. "You will pay for that!" He stood up and removed the prayer beads from his hand. "Wind Tunnel!"

Inuyasha used Tetsusaiga to anchor himself to the ground. He grits his teeth and growled loudly as he was slowly pulled closer to being sucked into Miroku's void.

Miroku blinked as a slender hand closed over his beads. "If you suck him in you will suck up our best friend!" The slayer gripped her weapon and stared at her intended. "Remember this is Naraku's doing, not Inuyasha's."

"Sango, you're right." Miroku closed his hand and placed the beads back over it bowing his head.

"This isn't over yet!"

The duo heard buzzing overhead and looked up just in time to see Naraku's Saimyosho and Inuyasha moving away from them.

"What do we do now, Miroku?"

He sighed and took her free hand between his. "I was afraid I had lost you."

She blushed and smiled. "I'm fine Miroku, just a slight bump on the head."

Miroku hugged her and closed his eyes relishing the moment._ 'Thank Kami she is okay.' _

Sango pulled back and stared into his eyes. "I'm okay, really."

He nodded and moved over to Kikyo's side along with Sango.

"Lady Kikyo?"

There was a gaping hole in her chest and the souls of the dead slowly left her body one by one. Her eyes fluttered open. "Monk, demon slayer... Bankotsu and Kagome will save this world, that much I am certain of." She stared from one to the other. "You and those mercenaries must find somewhere else to hide until Naraku is destroyed. If you don't he will just come after you."

"What about Inuyasha?" Sango's eyes filled with moisture and she bit her lower lip. _'Being killed by her former lover must be a horrible way to leave the world. But Inuyasha will be destroyed once he figures out she died by his hand.'_

"He will break free from Naraku's spell… eventually."

The last remaining soul departed from Kikyo. Her body formed into a ball of bright light and floated away into the heavens.

"Rest in peace Lady Kikyo," After burying her body Miroku closed his eyes and murmured a prayer to ensure her soul finally found peace.

Sango placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's get back to the village."

He nodded and rose to his feet.

**XOXOXO:**

Bankotsu and Kagome scanned the cliffs they had come upon. There were many layers to the cliffs. Bankotsu blinked. _'I've spotted at least three demons lurking about up there.'_

"We'll have to find a way up." Bankotsu walked closer to the cliff face inspecting it for foot holds.

Kagome grabbed his arm pulling him back. "I'm sure we could find another way to make things work without this sword."

"Midoriko said we had to get this sword. Can you not climb? Are you afraid of heights?"

"I can climb fine. There are demons wandering around up there."

Bankotsu pulled Kagome into an embrace stroking her hair. "It's nothing to worry about Kagome. As long as you're with me I will protect you."

The sincerity in his voice and eyes made her chest tighten. _'He's serious.'_ Her breath hitched as she stared into his eyes. Giving in to her instincts she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. _'My heart races every time Bankotsu looks at me or touches me. When he holds me like this I feel like nothing can hurt me.' _Her cheeks blushed as she tried to calm the rapid beat of her heart. "I believe you."

Bankotsu's arms tightened slightly and then he released her pulling back to stare into her eyes and place Banryu against his shoulder. "Shall we?"

She smiled at him. "Let's go for it."

He took one of her hands and carefully led her up a side path he'd spotted.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: Okay that's it for chapter nine. Enjoy everyone. XD**


	10. Cliffs Of Worth

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 10: Cliffs of Worth **

Kagome panted heavily after Bankotsu pulled her onto the bottom layer of the cliffs. She fell to her knees. Her hair blew every which way and down into her mouth. She scowled and spat it out. She pulled out a rubber band tying the hair into a high ponytail. _'My legs burn and I have scratches from my knees down. This is even worse than the time I went rock climbing with Hojo.'_

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Bankotsu knelt beside the girl. Her face looked red and she panted heavily. "Do you want to rest for a bit?"

"Yes, please." Her breathing slowly returned to normal as she rubbed her aching calves and feet.

Bankotsu sat down on the rocks. "Um, Kagome…?" His eyes stayed glued to the rocks and he swallowed.

"Hm?"

"When I almost kissed you earlier…?"

She blushed. "What about it?"

Bankotsu turned to face her. "I'd like to finish were we left off."

Kagome eyes widened and her breath hitched. _'He still wants to kiss me?'_ She blushed deeper and whispered. "Really?"

Bankotsu scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm gently around her waist. He leaned forward and planted licked Kagome's bottom lip._ 'She tastes sweet.'_

Kagome gasped at the tingles running through her lips. He slipped his tongue inside and slowly licked her tongue and cheeks. Her heartbeat sped up and she felt a little dizzy. Tentatively her tongue touched his. His tongue wrapped around hers and he slanted his mouth over hers deepening the kiss. The dizzy feeling in her head increased and her hands clung to his biceps. When he pulled away they were both breathless.

_'Wow,'_ Kagome smiled slightly dazed and her fingers pressed against her lips.

_'Yup, definitely sweet,'_ Bankotsu slowly licked his lips to savor the lingering taste of her kiss. He noticed her dazed expression and inwardly smirked as he lifted Banryu to his shoulder.

He waited until she blinked and blushed before holding his hand out to her. "We should try and get past these cliffs before nightfall."

Kagome stared at the narrow path. _'Kind of reminds me of one of Souta's video games. We're on the second layer. Only one more layer to go.' _She stood to her feet.

"We should be able to walk along the ledges for now."

"Bankotsu, didn't Midoriko say there was only one way out?"

"I can find it no problem."

'_He sure sounds confident.' _She placed her hand in his and they started along the path.

Bankotsu's eyes scanned their surroundings taking in everything around them. _'A cave eh? Kind of small but it would do in a pinch.' _He turned his attention to the path before them and continued leading her up the path.

When they got to the edge of the cliff they came upon their first demon. It resembled a large coyote with its back standing about five foot tall. It had pinchers protruding from its chest, below the neck but above the legs. They extended one and a half feet past its nose. It raised its head up to howl, before locking its eyes on Bankotsu like he was its prey.

"Kagome take cover!" He charged at the demon with Banryu poised to strike.

Kagome stumbled back a step with wide eyes as she saw something waving behind it. '_Is that a scorpion's tail?' _

Oblivious of the tail Bankotsu jumped on top of the demon's head. Before he could drive his Banryu into its skull he found himself on the ground with a massive paw on his chest. His weapon holding hand was caught in its pincher and pinned above his head.

'_Sonuva bitch is so heavy I can barely breathe.' _His eyes widened as he felt something pierce his shoulder. "Ah!" Bankotsu grit his teeth against the burning in his chest and shoulder. _'How did I miss that?'_

"Bankotsu!" Kagome notched an arrow into her bow and drew the string back.

The coyote hybrid averted its attention to the girl. It bared its large, sharp fangs dripping saliva as it snarled.

'_Whatever that thing is I have to destroy it.' _Kagome took aim ready to release her arrow.

The demon's sudden howl of pain and the appearance of a large gash in its stomach caused her to flinch and step back to avoid the spewing blood and chunks of flesh. The demon disintegrated into a pile of ashes which were carried away by the wind.

Bankotsu's smirk was the first thing she saw as the dust cleared. "You didn't really think I'd let that beast hurt you, did you?"

"Bankotsu, you're wounded!" Kagome pointed to his shoulder. Blood and something green seeped through his haori.

She ran over to him. "We have to find a place so I can tend to your wound."

He scoffed. "It's just a scratch. Besides it'd be better to get off these cliffs first."

"I'm not taking any chances," Kagome's eyes darted around looking for a semi clear spot.

He noticed her eyes looking unusually watery. '_Are those tears?_' He grabbed her chin and made her stare into his eyes. His thumb stroked her cheek."Don't cry it's just a scratch." He watched her lower lip and chin quiver. "I saw a cave a little ways back. We can go there."

Kagome looked up and smiled. "Okay, I want to look at the wound as soon as we get there."

He nodded. The couple made their way back down the cliff to a small cave that was dug into the side of the cliff wall. Kagome gently shoved Bankotsu inside.

Once inside Bankotsu removed his armor and set Banryu up against the back wall. He made himself comfortable against the wall, tilting his head back and closed his eyes.

"Bankotsu?"

"Hm?" He felt her pulling open his haori.

"How do you carry around that big halberd? I t looks really heavy and you swing it like it's as light as a feather."

Bankotsu's eyes snapped open and he grinned. "I'm the only one who can pick it up."

Kagome blinked. "Really?" Overcome with the urge to test it she reached down and with little to no effort picked the giant halberd up with one hand. "It doesn't seem all that heavy to me." She shrugged.

Bankotsu's eyes widened like saucers and his jaw moved like a fish out of water. "How did you do that?" His eyes locked to hers.

Kagome gently replaced the sword down and scratched her head. "Just lucky, I guess."

She knelt beside him and went to cleanse his wound when she noticed sweat all over his shivering body. Her eyes widened and her hand flew to his forehead. She yanked it back and shook it. _'Why does he suddenly have a fever?' _She stared at him and noticed his face was pale. Her breath hitched. "Oh no! You must have been poisoned!"

He blinked. "Eh?" A wave of dizziness filled him and his eyes rolled shut. His chest rose and fell slowly.

The cave filled with a bright blue light and the priestess Midoriko hovered before them once again.

"Kagome, time is short and I see the young warrior has been poisoned."

Kagome dug through her bag pulled out herbs and bandages. "Midoriko, I've never seen any poison work this fast. What do I do?"

Midoriko spoke calmly. "You must find the way out of these cliffs before nightfall."

Kagome's head shook side to side. "He's hurt too badly to be moving."

"Use your purifying powers to heal him. The sacred jewel in his neck keeps him alive, but your touch will heal him."

Kagome bit her lip. "I've never tried to heal anyone with my powers before." Her heart hammered inside her chest. "Please, there has to be _something_ that can save him."

Midoriko kissed her forehead and mentally whispered an ancient healing chant into to her.

"You two must get off these cliffs before nightfall." With that final warning the ghost vanished as if she had never been there.

Bankotsu groaned as pain shot through his fevered body. His lips moved and he whispered with a croaky voice. "You can do it Kagome."

Kagome blinked. _'Kami please let this work.'_ Kagome placed her hands on Bankotsu's shoulder. A pink light surrounded her hands. She closed her eyes and repeated the healing words automatically. She opened her eyes watching the pink light penetrate the wound forcing the poison to bleed out and soak into the herbal cloth. She took a deep breath and repeated the words again making the wound itself glow pink and watched it closed without even leaving a scar.

Kagome's jaw dropped. "It healed!" She quickly wrapped the cloth up and tossed it to the back of the cave, watching black bubble up around and absorb the cloth. The smell of burning feces assaulted her nostrils.

Bankotsu opened his eyes and smiled at her. "I knew you could do it."

Kagome smiled brightly making his heart skip a beat. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an embrace. "Thank you Kagome." He kissed the top of her head.

Blushing Kagome pulled away and stood up, to stare out the cave entrance. "I'm just glad that it worked." A deep sense of foreboding filled her to the core. "Let's get off these forsaken rocks." She picked up her bag and slung it over her back no longer feeling like resting.

She chewed on one of her finger nails and felt an icy claw running up and down her spine. _'As much as I hate the thought of continuing, we've gone this far so we might as well see it through. Either way we need to leave these cliffs. And the sooner, the better.' _She frowned shifting her weight from foot to foot while she waited for him to collect his stuff.

Bankotsu frowned. _'If I don't find a way to calm her down she's going to have a panic attack on me.'_ Bankotsu calmly stood to his feet and donned his armor. He picked up Banryu. He walked over and kissed her cheek. "Hell ya, let's get out of here."

Kagome started at the unexpected kiss. Before she could blush, he led her from the cave and over to the edge of the cliff they were on. She blinked. _'Is it my imagination or is he walking faster than normal?_'

**XOXOXO:**

Sango and Miroku informed the rest of Kikyo's death as soon as they returned to the village.

Shippo teared up. Kaede vanished inside her hut, shutting the others out.

"Inuyasha has killed lady Kikyo?" Suikotsu leaned against a random hut.

"Hai and with lady Kikyo gone Naraku will become even more powerful."

"Do you guys know of a place we can stay?" Sango sighed. "Kikyo warned us that Inuyasha would keep coming after us if we didn't get away from here."

"Our castle." Renkotsu jumped onto Ginkotsu's platform. The rest followed Renkotsu and soon rode off away from the village.

Shippo sat atop Jakotsu's sword. "Renkotsu, where exactly is this castle of yours?"

"A couple of hours away. We should be there before sundown." He replied.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Sango stared at the members.

"It's in the middle of a dense forest." Suikotsu nodded. "The lord of the castle had it built so they could take over the land without being discovered by some other lord. But we took care of that."

Miroku sighed. _'What a lousy situation for us to be in.'_

**XOXOXO: **

**A/N: Okay everyone that's it for the tenth installment. Will Kagome and Bankotsu find their way out before nightfall? You'll have to wait and see. XD **


	11. The Plot Thickens

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 11: The Plot Thickens**

After two hours of climbing and walking Bankotsu and Kagome finally found the way off the cliffs, but now they faced a big problem.

"How will we get passed that thing?" Kagome stabbed her finger towards yet another demon. "It has a jewel shard in it!" Her hand tightened around her bag strap.

"I'll hack this demon to pieces!" Bankotsu leaped into the air and brought his Banryu down upon the snake demon with wing's shoulder.

A blast of wind blasted Bankotsu, knocking him back. His opponent remained unharmed.

"Bankotsu!" Kagome moved to run to him until his hand shot up.

Bankotsu got back to his feet and dusted off his clothes. "I'm fine. Baka demon seems to have some kind of armor."

"It has a jewel shard in its forehead" Kagome readied her bow aiming for the demon's massive head. "I think I can hit it." Kagome let go of the arrow, watching it sink through the skin.

Hissing the demon swiped its long tail at her, knocking her bow out of her hand and sent her flying backward.

"Kagome!"

The snake demon tried to sweep Bankotsu off his feet, but Banryu sunk into its forehead. The sacred jewel shard flew out and landed next to Kagome. Her very presence purified it as the demon fell over dead.

Bankotsu ran over to Kagome. He gripped her shoulders and held her close to his chest. "Kagome?"

She groaned and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up blushing. "I'm alright."

He let go of her and she stood up. "I see you've managed to take care of the demon." She picked up the shard and placed it in her pocket.

"Let's go." He pointed to the tunnel in front of them.

Outside the tunnel lay a grassy meadow filled with blue, pink, yellow, and purple wildflowers. _'We could have died on those cliffs and now we're facing such a breathtaking sight?' _Shaking his head with a grin on his face Bankotsu stepped onto the soft grass.

Kagome rubbed her foot against the soft grass."What a beautiful sight!"

"It is pretty, I guess." Bankotsu smiled and led her over to the middle of it. '_But not half as pretty as Kagome is.' _Bankotsu inhaled deeply._ 'I wish I could __reveal everything I feel for her... But I can't.' _He frowned_. 'After all, she loves Inutrasha, right?'_ Instinctively his hand closed around hers and the back of his thumb rubbed against her hand as they sat down.

Kagome smiled. The grass felt like a blanket of velvet_. 'The flowers surrounding us make me glad we've come this far.'_

Bankotsu sat as close as possible without seeming like he was trying to invade her space. His eyes widened a bit when Kagome leaned her head on his shoulder. He blinked and then smiled. _'At least I have her company for now.'_

'_He is so loyal to his men.'_ She looked up from their hands and cupped his cheek with her free hand, staring deep into his sapphire pools. "Don't worry, Bankotsu. We'll find that sword so that you and your friends can finally have a normal life again."

He swallowed against the tightness in his throat. "Kagome… you're the first person that's ever showed so much compassion for me." He gazed deeply into her warm eyes. _'She always looks for the good in people no matter how evil they are.'_

His hand gently brushed some stray hair away from her face. "You're always putting others above yourself, even when they don't deserve it." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, watching her face blush. "How come your face and eyes brighten whenever you look at nature?"

She stared at the flowers and sighed. _'I hope I can stay, otherwise I would miss everyone so much._' She blinked. "I'm just enjoying what time I have left in this era." She smiled sadly. "It has become a second home to me."

His brows furrowed. "What do you mean?" He titled his head slightly to the side.

'_I may not have a choice.'_ She squeezed his hand and felt her chest tighten. "After the jewel is complete I don't know if I'll stay in this world. After all I was only allowed in this time because of the jewel."

'_But, I want her to stay with me forever.'_ His breath hitched and his heart constricted inside chest. He stared into her eyes. "If the well is still available you will still travel back to this time, right?"

'_What if I can't ever see you again after the jewel is gone?' _That thought made her heart drop into her stomach. Her hand squeezed his._ 'Please don't make me leave.'_ She swallowed against the lump in her throat. "If it lets me."

Bankotsu's chest felt lighter. He closed his eyes and nodded his head compulsively as he let out a huge breath. "Good, for a minute I thought – " before he could finish the sky darkened and a giant rabbit with talons on its feet hopped over them and quickly darted out of sight.

"What the hell was that thing?" Bankotsu jumped to his feet with Banryu ready.

"A really big rabbit?" Kagome frowned. "At least that's what I think it was."

The large hybrid hopped into the field ten feet away from them and beady red eyes narrowed at them.

Kagome's heart stopped before racing in her chest. _'Those are really sharp talons on the ends of its feet.'_

"Kagome, take cover." Bankotsu quickly circled his way behind the demon.

Kagome stepped back a few paces and watched as Bankotsu's sword left a large gash in the demon's chest. It made a squeaking sound as it fell to the ground.

Bankotsu's nodded in satisfaction as the demon lay before him cut in two. "That was over quickly." He mumbled and frowned. _'It was much easier to kill than the others have been.'_

Kagome walked over to Bankotsu carrying her bag and bow. She stood as close as she could to him without getting cut or crawling into his arms. "It was probably just a demon passing by."

Bankotsu blinked and then his face turned slightly pink as she grabbed his bicep and pulled herself closer to him pressing her hip against his.

Her eyes darted around them. "Let's keep going. This field is starting to give me the creeps." She shivered against him.

Bankotsu took her hand and they walked towards the end of the field.

**XOXOXO:**

Miroku and the others finally reached their destination over an hour ago.

"There is plenty of room for everybody." Renkotsu hopped off Ginkotsu's platform with the others. "I'm glad Suikotsu and Jakotsu set up all the rooms before we left."

Jakotsu rushed passed Miroku and Sango into the castle. The slayer, monk and fox hung back and waited for a tour of the castle.

"I suppose you guys made quick work of the samurai of this castle?" Sango asked.

"Yeah." Suikotsu replied. "We needed a place to hide from Naraku. We chose here since this place is well out of view from prying eyes."

"Hide from Naraku?" Shippo jumped onto the doctor's head.

"We've planned to destroy Naraku from the beginning." Renkotsu answered.

"We don't take orders from the likes of someone of his status." Suikotsu crossed his arms over his wide chest.

"Everything's just as we left it," Jakotsu rushed back outside to join the others. "If you three will come inside I can show you your rooms."

Once inside the castle Jakotsu quickly gave the three friends a tour of the castle and showed them their rooms. They each had rooms right next to one another. Jakotsu smiled. "I figured you'd be more comfortable this way."

Shippo piped up. "I'm staying with Sango, but thanks."

Suikotsu went back outside to do some maintenance on Ginkotsu's cannons. He blinked Shippo appeared on the platform to watch him.

"Hey there little guy. Is something troubling you?"

The kit stared at him with emerald eyes. "You guys are not going to betray us are you?"

"For now, we are a team so you don't have to worry."

Shippo smiled and darted back into the castle.

Jakotsu loaned Sango one of his kimono's since the one she was wearing was very dirty. It was pink with a rose pattern on it.

Miroku's jaw dropped at how good she looked in it. He quickly turned his attention to the door which Shippo and Suikotsu came through.

"That's a pretty kimono," Shippo smiled.

Suikotsu looked around. "Hey, where is that cat demon of yours, Sango?"

Sango blinked. "Kirara? I thought she was with us."

"I didn't see her come in." Miroku frowned.

"I'm going to look for her." Sango darting outside with her weapon in hand.

Jakotsu stared at the men. "Should one of us go with her?"

Miroku shook his head. "Sango can handle herself."

**XOXOXO:**

"Bankotsu, are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Midoriko told us to travel east and we haven't strayed off course."

"I know you said you'd protect me but something keeps giving me a sick feeling in my stomach.."

Bankotsu stopped quickly and pulled Kagome into a protective embrace, kissing the top of her head. "I will not let anything happen to you."

She smiled and leaned further against him closing her eyes._ 'Bankotsu is so strong and protective. I feel so relaxed around him, especially when he holds me.' _

"Now what's wrong with this picture?" an evil laugh filled the air.

Kagome shivered. _'I know that voice.' _

The duo looked up to see Inuyasha huddled in a tree with the same dull look in his eyes from the last time they'd seen him.

Bankotsu snorted and raised a brow. His voice was laced with sarcasm."How come we didn't notice him sooner?"

Kagome trembled at the evil pouring off the intruder. "Because that's not Inuyasha. It's a puppet."

The fake Inuyasha leapt down to the ground. "I'm not wasting my time with pathetic humans like you! Now hand over those jewel shards." He cracked his fists and flexed his claws.

The hand holding Banryu flicked in front of him as Bankotsu's other hand pushed Kagome a foot and a half behind him. "I'm tired of wasting my time with these set ups." He turned to face off against the fake. "Tell me where Naraku is so I can kill him after I've killed you."

The imitation Inuyasha darted passed Bankotsu right behind Kagome. He yanked her into his arms. "Hello, my lovely jewel." He licked her cheek making her shiver and her nose scrunched up. "You will make a great present for master Naraku." He gave her a lecherous grin.

"You're disgusting. Don't touch me!" Kagome's hand came down hard upon his face knocking the wide eyed puppet back a foot.

Bankotsu laughed. "Nice contact Kags." Banryu sliced down the middle of the fake Inuyasha returning it to dirt.

Kagome knelt and scooped up some of the soil in her hand. "I don't get it. Why would Naraku send a puppet after us when he has the real Inuyasha to do his bidding? Wouldn't it make more sense to send him instead?"

Bankotsu shrugged. "Maybe Naraku has the real Inuyasha on some kind of mission?"

"Maybe." Her eyes filled with deep sorrow and pain.

Bankotsu grabbed Kagome's hand. "Kagome you do realize that if the spell on Inuyasha is not broken… he may have to be killed, right?"

Kagome's eyes watered. _'He's right. Once Naraku gets hold of a person's spirit, reversing the curse is difficult, if not impossible.'_ Her heart felt like a vice was squeezing it. _'Oh Inuyasha…' _A deep sob ripped from her chest.

Bankotsu pulled her to his chest and stroked his free hand through her hair. "I know you don't want to hear this, Kagome. But we may have no other option."

She buried her face against his chest and clung to his haori. "Still –"

Bankotsu kissed the top of her head again and then pulled away from her. "Let's get going. I don't want to put you in too much stress."

Kagome and Bankotsu continued on in silence. Kagome sighed and placed a hand over her heart. _'I want to see Inuyasha normal again.'_

Bankotsu's jaw tightened. _'I hate being the one to make her sad, but I can't give her a false promise.'_

**XOXOXO:**

"I see they've managed to make quick work of your puppet." Kagura spoke coolly as she looked in Kanna's mirror.

"What will you do now, master?" Inuyasha stared at Naraku.

Naraku stared at his obedient slave. "I want you and Kohaku to catch up with that wench and that mercenary. Kill them both. Once you have accomplished that get the jewel shards. If you have any trouble report back to me."

"Very well, master Naraku." Kohaku bowed and waited beside Inuyasha who also bowed. Inuyasha and Kohaku set off to track down Kagome and Bankotsu.

**XOXOXO: **

**A/N: That's it for chapter eleven. As you can see the relationship between Ban/Kag is blooming, but she still holds a special place in her heart for Inuyasha. As always I'd love to hear your thoughts, opinions, ect. XD**


	12. Divine Intervention

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone for helping me meet and even exceed my goal for the now closed Bankotsu's Attributes Poll! XD  
**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 12: Divine Intervention**

Kagome and Bankotsu hadn't said much for the past hour. The Shichinintai leader knew all too well what Kagome was thinking about. '_I hope for her sake that we can rescue Inutrasha.'_ The thought of her heart breaking caused his to ache.

Kagome stopped suddenly and looked around with shallower breaths.

"What is it?" Bankotsu also stopped.

Her eyes widened slightly and then her brows furrowed. "It's faint… but I'm sure I sense a Shikon jewel shard around here."

Bankotsu's grip on his Banryu tightened. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

A blast of yellow light took down at least five trees around the couple, leaving a path open. When the smoke cleared Inuyasha stood in the middle of that path with Kohaku beside him.

Bankotsu stepped in front of Kagome and his eyes narrowed. "So you've finally decided to quit playing games, eh?

Kohaku sent his scythe at the girl in front of him.

Kagome's eyes widened and she screamed.

Bankotsu deflected the weapon with a side sweep from Banryu and used his free hand to push her out of the way. "Kagome, find cover." His eyes remained on his opponents.

"That's very sweet of you protecting _my_ wench." Inuyasha sneered.

Bankotsu scowled at the verbal jab and his jaw clenched. "I won't let you hurt Kagome."

"Want to bet?" Inuyasha summoned his Wind Scar again.

Kohaku quickly flung his blade at Bankotsu clanging the metal against Banryu. He then jumped into a tree to watch the battle from a safe distance. _'Inuyasha can handle this himself.'_

Inuyasha sent Bankotsu a sinister sneer. "Hand Kagome over and I'll make your death less painful." He brought his sword down unleashing the Wind Scar.

Bankotsu blocked it with his Banryu. "You're not getting Kagome!" Finality rang clear in his voice.

Inuyasha snarled. "I will be taking Kagome whether you like it or not." He released several more attacks back to back only to be blocked by Banryu. Inuyasha leaped to the side sending one last attack.

Bankotsu faltered back a step and raised his arm to cover his eyes from the blinding light.

Inuyasha took the opportunity to leap in front of Kagome.

"Kagome," Bankotsu swore under his breath and ran towards her.

Kohaku swung his blade piercing Bankotsu's back between the shoulder blades. He fell to the ground with a thud. All he could do was watch as Inuyasha reached an arm out to grab the girl. A bright light enveloped the miko causing the hanyou to stumble back cradling his arm.

"What the hell?" He reached his hand out again. "A barrier?"

Bankotsu felt the pain in his back slowly subside. Within minutes the wound had been healed. He slowly got to his feet and blinked. _'A barrier is protecting Kagome?'_

Inuyasha hissed. "This isn't over mercenary." He turned to his companion. "Kohaku! Let's get back to master Naraku!" Inuyasha released the Wind Scar as a distraction to allow them to escape.

Kagome stood blinking and rubbed her eyes. 'I'm not seeing things. That's a real barrier.' She frowned.

_'Damn cowardly Inu, he fled again.'_ Bankotsu walked cautiously up to Kagome. He stopped mere inches away from the barrier.

Kagome's eyes widened and she flung herself into his arms not caring that the barrier faded away. "I was so scared."

Bankotsu's arms went around her slender waist. "I said I'd protect you with my life, Kagome." He pulled her against his chest and ran his fingers through her hair. "Was it painful to see Inuyasha again?"

Kagome let go and turned around with her lose hair shielding her face. She bit her lip. "Yes, it was."

Bankotsu placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Kagome, I can't tell you how this will end… But I can promise you that everything that can be done to help Inuyasha will be done." He felt her stiffen and moved to stand in front of her cupping her chin. "This is Naraku we are dealing with, not Inuyasha. I know Inuyasha would never do anything to purposely harm you or your friends."

Tears welled in her eyes as she found no lie in his. "I know that." Kagome freed her chin and wiped her cheeks. She sent him a shaky smile. "Thank you."

Bankotsu nodded and swallowed against the lump in his throat. He walked over long enough to retrieve Banryu and then faced away from her. His voice was gruff. "All we can do for now is keep moving."

**XOXOXO:**

Miroku shivered and rubbed his hands over his arms. _'My skin still feels like its crawling.' _He sat outside the castle with Sango, Shippo and Kirara. The Kitsune and the fire neko slept on Ginkotsu's platform.

"Damn that Jakotsu! He gives me the creeps." Miroku bounced his leg up and down.

Sango blinked and stared at him. "Are you still moping over him walking in on you in the bathroom?"

"I have a right to." Indignation filled the normally calm blue eyes.

Renkotsu appeared in front of the castle entrance. "Come get something to eat." He retreated back inside.

Sango and Miroku rose to their feet and Miroku followed behind Sango. Kirara and Shippo sensed their friends walking toward the castle and followed. They stepped inside to find the others waiting for them.

"Hey, that stew looks good!" Shippo jumped down from Sango's shoulder.

Suikotsu doled up bowls passing them to the group. They all sat at the castle dining table in a row.

Miroku made certain that he sat as far away from Jakotsu as possible and next to Sango.

Jakotsu looked up to the ceiling. "Do you think big brother and Kagome are alright?"

"I'm sure they're fine. Big brother can handle himself and he will keep Kagome safe. You needn't worry." Renkotsu poured the saki.

Sango blinked. "What about Inuyasha?" She turned to Miroku with worried eyes.

Miroku cleared his throat. "First we must destroy Naraku. After that we can figure out what to do about him."

Sango's face fell and she stared at her food. "We can't do much of anything until Bankotsu and Kagome return."

Jakotsu blinked. "True." He chewed his bottom lip. "I wonder if he's still going to marry her?"

"He doesn't have a choice." Suikotsu added a second helping of meat to his bowl.

After everyone finished eating Suikotsu gathered up the dishes and washed them. "Someone should go check on Ginkotsu."

"I'll do it." Jakotsu darted out the door, giving Miroku a wink as he went.

Miroku's nose scrunched up and he cringed.

Sango bit her lip to stifle a giggle. _'I guess the lech doesn't like having the tables turned on him?'_

Minutes later Jakotsu ran back in. "Ginkotsu is asleep."

"I am going to retire for the night." Miroku rose to his feet. 'The sooner I get away from him the better I'll feel.' The monk made a hasty retreat and felt eyes burning a hole into his backside. He shivered and slammed the door shut placing a sutra on the door and chanting.

Sango giggled and then rose to her feet as well. "Come on Shippo, Kirara, it's time to turn in." The two members followed her and they went to their beds immediately. The Schichinatai quickly did the same.

**XOXOXO:**

Bankotsu frowned when the sun sank towards the ground. "It's getting late." His eyes scanned the area for any dangers and then he sighed. "Let's stop here and rest for the night."

Kagome flopped down under a tree. "No arguments here." Her feet throbbed and her legs burned. She stretched and yawned.

Midoriko appeared before the duo. "You two will reach the sword tomorrow. I will put up a barrier around you so that no one can harm you tonight. Once you have the blade return to your friends and resurrect them. You must get married as soon as possible." With that the ancient priestess vanished.

"I'll start a fire." Bankotsu piled a bunch of wood onto the ground. "Can I borrow that flame maker of yours?"

Kagome struck the lighter igniting the wood. She boiled water and made ramen. After eating she leaned her head on Bankotsu's shoulder and closed her eyes.

The older teen smiled as he watched her sleep_. 'Even exhausted she's cute.'_ He let out a long sigh before closing his eyes and falling asleep himself.

**XOXOXO: **

**A/N: Okay that's it for chapter twelve. Enjoy everyone.**


	13. Banryu's Desicion

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**A/N: HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! XD**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 13: Banryu's Decision**

Naraku's growl reverberated through the dark dank castle. _'How dare that bothersome wench send that useless mercenary to obtain a sword meant to revive he and his comrades_?'

His eyes narrowed at the picture in the mirror Kanna held as they eavesdropped on Midoriko's talk with Kagome and Bankotsu. _'They must not be allowed to reach that sword!' _Blood red eyes pinned his obedient slave and he spoke with malice in his voice. "Inuyasha find Kagome and Bankotsu. Do not return until both of them are dead."

A sinister grin crossed the hanyou's lips. He bowed. "As you wish, master Naraku." Inuyasha ran out of the castle entrance with a hand on his sword. _'It's time to pay for your treachery my little miko. You and your mercenary die today.' _Malice shone in his red flecked amber eyes.

**XOXOXO:**

People at the Shichinintai castle woke up at first light. They ate smoked fish and berries and were now eagerly waiting for Bankotsu and Kagome to return.

Shippo was on Ginkotsu's platform along with Renkotsu. He was helping him load guns for Ginkotsu. The kitsune handed the bald man all the items he needed and even helped pack gunpowder into one of the cannons by jumping up and down on a rod.

Sango stared at the man beside her. "They've been gone for about three weeks. Shouldn't they have come back by now?"

Jakotsu passed her his blue kimono. "Here, you can wear this until your clothes are clean."

She nodded. "Thanks."

Jakotsu left her alone so she could change and waited outside her door with the basket full of laundry.

When Sango steeped out of her room she took her basket and they walked outside by the river. They each had a bucket of water in front of them. They scrubbed the clothes and then hung them on a line that Suikotsu put up using two trees.

Miroku and Suikotsu were off near the back of the castle in the garden sorting through some herbs. Suikotsu knew a lot about the medicinal properties of herbs as did Miroku. Kirara lay in her large form beside the monk.

"I wonder how much longer Bankotsu and Kagome will take?" Sango placed a kimono on the clothesline. She looked toward the forest as if the duo would suddenly pop out.

"I'll bet big brother has slain many demons by now." Suikotsu broke up a large herb so he could fit it into a basket.

"I wonder what those two _have _done?" Jakotsu wore a lecherous smirk. _'I bet I know.'_

"Jakotsu!"

Sango's hiss caused the kitsune to jump a bit and stare at them confused.

"There is a child in our presence."

Jakotsu sent her a sheepish grin. "What? It's true."

Sango sighed and smacked her forehead.

Everyone but the confused Kitsune snickered and then went back to their chores.

**XOXOXO:**

Bankotsu held Kagome's hand as they walked slowly through the forest. He squeezed it lightly. _'I won't let anyone hurt you.'_

Kagome smiled when she felt his grip tighten. '_Bankotsu is a lot nicer than Inuyasha. Come to think of it… I think I could fall in love with him. I'll tell him that later.' _Her heart beat against her breast._ 'What about Inuyasha?' _Her conscience insisted. She frowned._ 'I still love Inuyasha… but I don't know if I'm still in love with him.'_

Bankotsu glanced at Kagome and saw her frowning. He stopped. "Is something wrong?" His thick eyebrows drew together and a crease formed between them.

The concern in his voice and his mesmerizing blue eyes caused her stomach to fill with little flutters. Kagome shook her head.

Bankotsu placed his arm around her waist kissed her like he was living his last seconds.

Kagome's knees nearly buckled under her as she went limp in his arms.

He smiled when he felt a gentle hand at the back of his neck pulling his mouth against hers. He deepened the kiss keeping his arm around her waist to keep her upright.

When they pulled away the radiant look on Kagome's face was enough to tell Bankotsu that she enjoyed the kiss.

Her cheeks flushed and her eyes shone with happiness. She hugged Bankotsu tightly. _'He makes me feel so light and carefree.'_

He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply. "You smell good." Bankotsu chuckled when her hands tightened on his sleeves and she pressed her face against his chest.

"Well, well, isn't this touching?" the voice dripped with undisguised venom.

Bankotsu and Kagome jumped apart and turned towards the voice to find Inuyasha standing behind them with Tetsusaiga raised high. "Wind Scar!"

"Kagome, look out!" Bankotsu knocked her out of the way of the blast. The attack missed Banryu and hit him in the back. _'Heh, it's a good thing I have the jewel shards in me.'_ He growled like a rabid wolf and glared at the hanyou.

"I must say my wench has grown rather fond of you." Inuyasha stared down at the mercenary with hatred burning in his eyes. "Lucky for me, Naraku has decided that he wants her dead after all."

"Not while there is still breath in my body." Bankotsu pushed himself to his feet ignoring the burning pain in his back. He raised his massive Banryu into the air and swung it down full force. "Dragon Hammer!"

"Then I'll just have to kill you first." Inuyasha snorted and countered with his attack.

The two attacks collided nearly blinding the mercenary.

Inuyasha took the chance to sneak up behind his opponent and raised his sword.

Kagome's eyes widened and her hands shook. "Bankotsu, look out!"

The half demon brought his sword down on the slowly healing wound already on the mercenary's back.

Bankotsu cried out and fell t his knees as he felt something crack between his shoulder blades.

Snarling Inuyasha knocked the halberd from his hands. It landed near Kagome's feet.

The young miko watched in horror as Inuyasha prepared for another Wind Scar. A musical voice whispered through her mind.

_'Take me into your hands and use my power.'_

Without thinking she placed her hand on Banryu and lifted it with ease.

Inuyasha clucked his tongue and his voice dripped with sarcasm. "I must say I am quite disappointed with you, Bankotsu. A warrior like yourself should not fall so easily."

"Curse you, you filthy son of a bitch!" Bankotsu's fist swung at the hanyou, but he missed and fell flat on his stomach.

Inuyasha stood over the fallen warrior's back with his sword ready to strike. "Who is the weakling now, eh merc?" His evil chuckle filled the air. "Say goodbye to your lover." His hands tightened on his father's fang.

"Bankotsu, Iie!"

A trail of purple light barreled towards him causing Inuyasha to jump back. Amber eyes with red flecks landed on Kagome, who held the mighty halberd in her hands. She panted and stared at her hanyou friend over the weapon. "I won't let you hurt Bankotsu!"

Inuyasha's jaw tightened and his nostrils flared. "How are you holding that over-sized sword?"

Bankotsu chuckled and grinned bemused. "It seems Banryu has decided to aid Kagome." He hissed when his back protested the movements.

Kagome stared into the hanyou's eyes. "Inuyasha, I know that you don't want to hurt us. Deep down you want to be free of Naraku's grasp." Her hands left the hilt and she placed them at her sides. Her eyes locked to the hanyou's and she slowly stepped towards him.

Inuyasha barked. "Stay back!"

"Inuyasha, please allow me to remove that tainted shard from your neck?" She moved a couple more steps towards her friend.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keep dreaming, miko. Let's see just how well Banryu can hold up to Tetsusaiga." He leapt back and raised his weapon.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome ran over and flung her arms around his waist. Tears flowed from her eyes, absorbing into his haori.

Inuyasha's arms trembled even as his hands tightened on the hilt. He brought the sword down towards her stopping mere inches from striking her. Pain filled his head and his fingers opened dropping the sword to the ground.

A sob tore from her throat and Inuyasha felt nausea fill his stomach. His arms went around her waist and his head lowered. He inhaled deeply and his body relaxed instantly.

"Inuyasha," her tone was full of love and concern. Kagome carefully reached her small hand up to Inuyasha's neck removing the jewel shard. She stepped back quickly expecting for him to fall over dead.

Instead his hands fell from her waist and he jumped back as if he'd been burned. He looked at Kagome with troubled eyes. "Bankotsu? Kagome? Where are we?"

Bankotsu sighed and pushed himself to his feet with a grunt. He retrieved his weapon and released a long drawn out sigh. _'At least he's been freed from Naraku's spell.'_ His brows knitted. _'I just hope it doesn't change things between me and Kagome.'_

His shoulders tightened and he forced the pain in his back to the furthest recesses of his mind. He turned to Kagome and spoke emotionlessly. "We should get going before Naraku sends something else to try and stop us."

She nodded and smiled brightly at Inuyasha. "I'll explain later. Right now Bankotsu is right, we need to keep moving."

Inuyasha frowned but nodded and walked on the other side of Kagome.

**XOXOXO: **

**A/N: That's it for chapter thirteen. I hope you're all still enjoying the story. Remember feedback is an author's key motivation. All constructive criticism is welcome. XD**


	14. The Fabled Sword

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**A/N: Between crazy weather temps changes, tornado and flood warnings, and lack of time, I can't write much at the moment.  
**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 14: The Fabled Sword**

The trio made their way deeper into the forest. The trees grew much thicker. Although it was the middle of the afternoon they had a hard time seeing because of the dense foliage surrounding them.

"So, what happened to me?" Inuyasha walked between Kagome and Bankotsu.

Kagome sighed and shifted the pack on her back. _'I miss holding Bankotsu's hand, but I'd rather not have Inuyasha flipping out on us until we get back to the others. He's been through enough already.'_

Bankotsu's tone was crisp. "You attacked us _three_ times." His voice held an unmistakable verbal lash. "before we left Kaede's village, when we were in the forest a few days ago and again just a little while ago."

Inuyasha's chin fell to his chest and his white hair shadowed his face. His shoulders slumped and he sighed heavily. _'I hope I didn't actually hurt anyone.' _His stomach roiled and he bit back the bile rising in his throat.

Kagome stared at the hanyou. "Inuyasha, did Naraku reveal anything to you while you were under his control?" Her eyes locked on his sulky form.

He slowly raised his head but refused to meet her eyes. "I really don't remember anything." He sighed heavily."I wondered where the hell I was when you took that shard out of my neck."

Bankotsu tapped Banryu against his shoulder and sighed. "I'm sure we will find out what Naraku is up to sooner or later."

Kagome noticed a glowing blue light up ahead. "Bankotsu, look. Isn't that the same aura that was around Midoriko?"

He nodded. "Hai, it looks like it is protecting something inside that small cave." Their eyes met and held and both of their hearts leapt in their chest as Inuyasha stepped toward the bright light and reached out.

"What the hell is that?" He yanked his burned and tingling hand back. "Why is there a barrier around this sword? It looks like just an ordinary sword." He reached his hand out toward the sword again. This time he was quickly thrown back with a tremendous amount of force. He landed flat on his back three yards away.

Bankotsu lips quirked at the left corner and amusement danced in his eyes. _'It seems the mutt is forbidden from touching the sword.'_

Inuyasha pulled himself to his feet and rejoined the duo with a derisive snort. "What the hell is going on here?"

_'This must be the sword Midoriko sent us for.'_ Kagome turned to Bankotsu and scratched the back of the top of her head. "How are we supposed to get it out?"

As if to answer her question the barrier brightened and then slowly dissipated. Midoriko appeared before them, startling Inuyasha and causing him to jump back.

"I see your hanyou friend has been freed from Naraku." She smiled at the white haired boy.

Inuyasha frowned and stepped closer to the apparition. "You're Midoriko?"

"Correct." She turned to Bankotsu. "I have dissolved the barrier around the sword for you. Take it and quickly return to your friends. They are staying in your castle at the moment."

Bankotsu nodded and reached for the sword, stopping a mere inch away from it. His brows furrowed. "How do we use this sword?"

"You must stab you're friends through the heart with it. They will revive in seconds." Midoriko vanished leaving the trio alone once more.

Bankotsu picked up the sword and felt something pulse through his body. He blinked three times and it was gone. _'That was weird.'_ He turned to grin at Kagome. "Shall we start the journey back?"

Inuyasha crouched down so the priestess could mount his back. "I know a short cut. Kagome, get on my back."

She stared at Bankotsu with a questioning gaze.

He shoved Inuyasha and glared. "Don't you dare drop her or you will be answering to me." He loomed over the hanyou and his eyes narrowed on his rival. "Got it?"

Inuyasha blinked and nodded.

Her eyes widened as she stared at Bankotsu who looked away to face the path.

"Hurry Kagome, the sooner we leave this place the better I will feel."

She blinked and dutifully climbed onto Inuyasha's back.

Bankotsu's chest heaved. _'I know that baka mutt is just carrying her to speed the return trip up.' _He clenched his fists and breathed deeply trying to lessen the intense rage threatening to fill his body. _'I'm still tempted to shred him limb from limb.'_

He ground his teeth together. _'I can run just as fast as the mutt. Kagome should be riding on my back.' _His nostrils flared as he spun around and saw Kagome climb onto the hanyou's back. He grunted. "Let's go."

Hours later Inuyasha suddenly stopped running through the forest.

_'Why would he stop when we are only a mile away from the others?'_ Bankotsu also stopped. He turned to chastise the hanyou, but the look of pain and misery on Inuyasha's stilled his protest. "What is it?"

"I have the feeling that I did something horrible." The sheer misery in Inuyasha's voice spoke volumes.

Kagome hopped off his back and stood in front of him. "We couldn't tell you much, Inuyasha. Bankotsu and I have been in this forsaken forest for the past two and a half weeks."

Inuyasha's stomach churned again. "Maybe Miroku and Sango know something?"

Bankotsu shrugged. "Maybe, but the only way to find out would be to ask them. Come on, we're almost there." The three allies continued on foot and made their way through the forest.

**XOXOXO:**

Everyone had finished their chores and we're now enjoying the beautiful, sunny day. But there was a gloomy feeling in the air.

Renkotsu, Suikotsu and Miroku sat atop Ginkotsu's platform. While Sango, Shippo, Kirara and Jakotsu sat on the ground beside the machine.

Renkotsu dived off the platform and went to stand at the edge of the forest. The others watched with confused looks.

"Renkotsu? What is it?" The cross dresser shifted positions so his legs were outstretched.

"Big brother will be here very shortly. I can sense his aura."

Miroku's jaw dropped. "Since when are you able to sense auras?"

Renkotsu snorted. "Big brother has been with us Shichinintai for a very long time."

Jakotsu piped in. "When you're as close as we are, you learn their auras."

"I guess that makes sense." The monk nodded.

Suikotsu rose to his feet and shielded his eyes with his hand as he stared at the trees to his left. "I sense him too."

Jakotsu squealed and clapped while bouncing up and down.

Not to be left out Ginkotsu voiced his own opinion. "Gersh!"

Jakotsu dropped his Jakotsuo onto the ground startling everyone else as he ran toward the trees of the forest… right into Bankotsu's embrace. "Big brother, we all missed you so much!"

Bankotsu hugged him companion back. "It's nice to see you all can't live without me."

Jakotsu spotted the sword at his leader's side. "It looks like an ordinary sword." He pouted.

Bankotsu chuckled. "it may look ordinary Ja, but trust me this baby is one of a kind."

"Welcome back." Renkotsu walked up with the others. "Have a nice trip?"

Bankotsu grinned. "Come inside the castle and I'll tell you all about it."

Miroku stared coolly at Inuyasha. _'His aura is back to normal.' _The monk shook his head. _'Under Naraku's spell or not he still killed Kikyo and nearly killed Sango and I… He won't take the news well.'_

Sango noticed the slumped posture of the hanyou._ 'I wonder if he knows about Kikyo yet?'_

"You mean this sword can bring us back to life?" Renkotsu's voice piqued with interest.

Kagome nodded. "Once that is done we'll have a lot of jewel shards to add to our small pile."

Suikotsu's blinked. "How do you use the sword?"

Miroku stepped forward. "Inuyasha, how is it that you were able to break from Naraku?"

Inuyasha's eyes filled with deep sadness. "It was Kagome, really."

"I see." Miroku frowned. _'He has to be told sooner or later, but perhaps he has been through enough for now?'_

Bankotsu faced Suikotsu. "Midoriko said I must stab each of you through the heart with it and within seconds you will revive as flesh and blood. "

Renkotsu's face crunched up and he backed away shaking his head. "Just let me keep using the jewel shard, please. Anything is better than going through that pain again."

"Stabbing the heart is what the old priestess said I have to do." Bankotsu's eyes narrowed. "Now enough wasting time."

"I don't mind pain if it means getting rid of this cursed shard." Suikotsu rubbed his burning neck where his Shikon shard lay.

Bankotsu quickly lined his men against the wall. Jakotsu was the first one to be stabbed. When he stabbed Jakotsu in the heart everyone saw his body pulse.

The tension in the air was thick and nearly suffocating as everyone waited with baited breaths.

Bankotsu drew his arm back, sword in hand. "How do you feel Ja?"

Jakotsu placed a hand over his heart with a goofy grin on his face. "My heart is beating."

Sango stepped closer to inspect the area that was stabbed. "No wound." She spoke breathlessly and faltered back a step.

"That's a pretty cool sword you got there." Inuyasha joked. "It's better than Sesshomaru's Tokijin."

Bankotsu smirked at Renkotsu. "You're next." He watched the color drain from the fire breather's face. His hand plunged the dagger deep into the man's heart and he yanked the sword out.

Suikotsu closed his eyes and Bankotsu drove the blade deep into the doctor's heart, withdrawing it as if it had never entered. Suikotsu's eyes widened as his heartbeat entered his ears.

Last was Ginkotsu.

"Big brother, we are all alive once again." Renkotsu hopped onto Ginkotsu's platform.

Kagome giggled. "Only this time you're flesh and blood."

Bankotsu couldn't help but smile at Kagome. He handed her the sword and removed his armor. "I'd like you to do the honors."

She nodded and gripped the handle. Her eyes locked to his and she drove the blade deep into his heart.

Bankotsu's body pulsed and his heart beat inside his chest. He drew in a deep breath and felt his lungs fill with real oxygen. _'I live once again.'_ A smirk crossed his lips and his eyes stayed on the woman in front of him.

Kagome withdrew the weapon and gasped as it crumbled to dust and the dust blew away.

Bankotsu's smirk spread. _'Thank you Midoriko.' _He faced his men. "Allow Kagome to remove the shards, we no longer need them. If _any_ of you refuse, I will remove them myself and I guarantee I won't be near as gentle as she would." His arms crossed over his chest and he stared at each man.

Each member allowed the priestess to remove their shards, even Renkotsu, who was elated to be living once more.

Bankotsu walked behind her and wrapped his arms around Kagome's waist. "Now for the wedding," He rested his chin on her shoulder. _'I can't wait to be bound to Kagome for good.' _

Kagome's cheeks brightened and her hand settled on his arm. Everyone elses eyes widened when she didn't remove Bankotsu's arms. The air thickened once again and all eyes slowly turned to Inuyasha waiting to see his reaction.

**XOXOXO: **

**A/N: That's it for chapter fourteen. Finally Bankotsu and his men are living once again and everyone has been reunited. As always feedback is welcomed with open arms. I always enjoy constructive criticism as well. XD**


	15. Wedding Preperations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**List of terms:**

**Katsuo-bushi - **dried bonito (a highly valued preserved food ingredient used to make soup stock) – to wish the couple a lasting marriage. {A type of fish}

**Konbu – **known for its ability to breed – to wish the couple many happy and healthy children. {Dried kelp}

**Shiraga - hemp – **its strong fibers are used to symbolize the wish for strong family ties. "Shiraga" also means white hair. Hemp is therefore used to wish the couple many years to come.

**Toyonoaki – **elegant and mature tasting sake.

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 15: Wedding Preparations **

Inuyasha froze and stared at the arms around Kagome's waist. _'I had forgotten that part.'_ His lips thinned into a firm line. _'Is she really going to go through with it?' _Amber eyes stared at the miko searching her eyes for any sign of hesitance. His chest tightened and his stomach clenched. His jaw dropped and he shook his head side to side. Tears pricked his eyes. Without a word Inuyasha turned and bounded off into the woods.

Kagome's fluttering heart sank into her stomach. _'I'm as eager for the wedding as Bankotsu, but I really want Inuyasha to be there.'_ Her chest ached. She sighed and buried her face against Bankotsu's chest. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she breathed deeply.

Bankotsu's arms tightened around her and he stroked her hair. His voice whispered in her ear. "It's okay Kags."

After a minute Kagome pulled herself together and turned to face her friends. Sango's eyes were wide and her hand shook. "Kagome…?"

Miroku used his staff to hold Sango back. His eyes gazed into Kagome's. "Aside from Japan's future being at stake here, she has found a man who is both worthy of her and obviously cares for her. We must be happy for her, Sango."

Sango blinked and then nodded. "Of course I am happy for you Kagome. But, are you sure this is what you want?"

Kagome straightened her shoulders and stared her sister like figure dead in the eye. "I love him." There was no hesitation in her voice and no doubt in her eyes.

The group turned to Bankotsu, who stood with his famous smirk on his face. _'She loves me.'_ His chest felt lighter.

"Big brother?" Jakotsu's voice snapped him from his thoughts.

Bankotsu's smirk widened. "I love Kagome too." He raised her hand to his face and placed a kiss on the back of it.

Suikotsu nodded. "Then it's settled."

Sango placed her weapon aside. "Very well Kagome. I will help you prepare for your wedding."

Kagome smiled. "Thanks Sango."

Sango grinned. "That's what sisters are for." She took Kagome by the hand and led her towards the bathroom.

Jakotsu grinned at his best friend. "Come on Bank, let's get you ready."

Bankotsu chuckled but followed led the over eager cross dresser to his room.

Miroku looked at the others. "I suppose we should go to Kaede's village and inform of her the pending nuptials."

Suikotsu nodded. "Hai and we can prepare the village as well." All in attendance left for the small village.

**XOXOXO:**

Kagome and Sango stripped bathed in the large bathroom and scrubbed their bodies clean.

Sango dressed in her kimono and smiled as she held up a pure white silk wedding kimono for her friend. "I'm glad that he at least cares for you Kagome. I see it in the way he looks at you."

Kagome's face flushed and she felt millions of tiny butterflies inside her stomach. "Oh Sango, I truly think I will be happy with him. Bankotsu is so strong and protective and he's really not that bad once you get to know him."

Sango grinned. "Wow Kagome, I've never seen you talk so fast before."

Kagome blushed and mumbled. "Sorry."

Sango laughed. "Don't be. It's good that you two like each other. It's even better that you two seem to get along."

Kagome's eyes shone with an inner light. "He really can be quite sweet when he wants to be. Oh Sango, he's so different when it's just the two of us. He looks into my eyes when speaking to me, he makes me feel... special." Kagome used a hand to fan herself.

Sango helped Kagome into the kimono. "Jakotsu found this and set it aside just for the wedding."

Kagome's eyes misted with tears of joy. "That's so sweet of him."

Sango chuckled. "Don't tell him that. He'd bite your head off."

The two girls laughed.

Sango grinned. "Stay right there, I have something for you."

Kagome gasped. "Sango you don't have to get me anything. Just being here is the only gift I need."

"Still, Miroku Shippo, Kirara and I spent the time you were gone gathering a few things for you." Sango walked over to her belongings and pulled out a small wrapped bundle. She slowly walked over to Kagome and presented it to her, along with a larger one.

Kagome placed the small bundle on the small bench and carefully opened it. Inside lay Konbu, Katsuo-bushi and even some Shiraga. Kagome's eyes lit up. She carefully unwrapped the second one - a pair of black silk wedding hakamas.

Sango smiled. "Now you have a traditional gift for your husband-to-be."

Kagome's lower lip and jaw trembled and her eyes filled with tears as she hugged the hakamas to her chest. A minute later she threw herself into Sango's arms. "Sango, thank you all so much. It means the world that you are accepting my decision."

Sango laughed and hugged her sister-like figure back. "Of course we do. Kagome, you're important to each of us." Sango hugged the younger woman tightly. "We will always be here for you."

Kagome continued to hug her and cried for several long minutes. She pulled back and wiped her cheeks. "I just wish Inuyasha would be there too."

Sango sighed heavily and pat her back. "Let's finish getting you prepared okay?" She walked over to her stuff and brought out a box of white powder.

Kagome nodded and dried her cheeks.

Sango patiently covered Kagome's face with the white powder and then applied red lipstick and black eye liner. Shh pulled out a comb and brushed Kagome's hair.

Kagome sat on the bench enjoying being pampered. _'I almost feel like a princess.' _Despite how eager she was to marry Bankotsu and save Japan, her heart felt like it was breaking a little as Sango placed the white silk veil over Kagome's 'horns'.

**XOXOXO:**

Jakotsu squealed with delight as he ran over to his friend.

"What is that Jakotsu?" Bankotsu stared at his best friend.

Jakotsu smiled. "I was searching through my large box of jewelry when I found a perfect set of rings for you and your intended." He showed the matching set of steel bands to his esteemed leader.

Bankotsu blinked. "Are those what I think they are?" His large calloused hand hovered over the rings.

Jakotsu grinned. "Hai, I noticed they were forged the same way the strongest of swords are."

He picked them up and grinned. After inspecting them he nodded. "They are warrior wedding bands." He smiled at his friend. "Thanks Ja."

Jakotsu nodded. "At least you know they won't get damaged." He grinned. "You're welcome Bank." He picked up Bankotsu's Black wedding Haori. "Are you ready to dress?"

His heart felt light and his chest puffed with pride. _'Those rings are rare, because the blacksmiths usually make swords. These rings will last forever.'_ Bankotsu nodded and placed the rings on a small table.

"Hai," With slightly shaky hands he removed his white haori and slipped into the black one._ 'I wonder if I will get some traditional wedding hakamas?' _He shook his head._ 'Doesn't matter so long as we get through the ceremony.'_

Jakotsu grinned and passed Bankotsu the obi. "I've never seen you so nervous before."

Bankotsu's cheeks tinged slightly pink. He quickly turned his back to his friend and fastened the obi. He cleared his throat loudly and mumbled, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jakotsu giggled but let the subject drop.

Bankotsu's brows creased and pulled together as he tapped his chin.

Jakotsu's eyes widened. "What is it?"

Bankotsu sighed heavily. "I haven't had time to get Kagome any gifts yet."

Jakotsu's eyes lit up. "Never fear Bank." He walked over to the trunk and pulled out several items placing them on his bed. "Since she is to be the band's little sister and your wife, I have plenty for you to choose from." His hand waved to encompass the items on the bed.

"In fact," Jakotsu slowly walked over to his trunk and pulled out an expensive red and white over kimono with gold embroidered bamboo, pine, and flowers on it. He smiled and ran his hand over the material. _'This will be the perfect thing for Bank to give his bride.' _He walked over and presented it to Bankotsu. "Give her this to wear after the ceremony."

Bankotsu's eyes widened. "But this is your stuff."

Jakotsu waved him off. "Oh pish-posh, I have tons of trunks filled with beautiful and expensive things, besides that one never did fit me. Plus, you need a proper gift for your bride." He pushed the over kimono into his friend's arms. "Now choose one of the items on the bed before I change my mind."

Bankotsu grinned and slapped Jakotsu on the back. "Thanks Ja I'll tell her this scarf is from you." He grinned at his friend. "Will you help me sort through my trunks for some appropriate gifts?"

"You bet I will." Jakotsu grinned and skipped down the hallway behind a laughing Bankotsu.

Bankotsu led him into the room and opened all the trunks. "Okay Ja it's time to use your expertise."

Jakotsu's eyes lit up as and he started pointing things out and Bankotsu placed them aside in an organized pile.

Jakotsu jumped up. "Okay Bank, meet us at the village in Kaede's hut whenever you are ready. Jakotsu ran into the kitchen to get several items and then took off for the village himself.

**XOXOXO:**

"Renkotsu, hand me the knife." Suikotsu held a piece of fabric in his hands.

"I wonder what big brother actually thinks about this whole thing?" Renkotsu passed the knife over.

"It doesn't matter." Suikotsu snipped the material and passed it over to Miroku. _'If any of us deserves true happiness it's Brother Bankotsu. He has sacrificed so much for us already.'_

"Poor Kagome, I'm sure she had her heart set on Inuyasha attending, but alas our hanyou friend has run off."

Shippo nodded. "At least Bankotsu will keep Kagome safe. He cares for her." The kit saw the mercenary look at Kagome many times. _'Even as young as I am, I can tell Bankotsu really likes her.'_

Suikotsu nodded. "Hai he does. I've never seen him look at anyone else with such an affectionate gaze."

Shippo bounded over to Kaede. "Have you settled on which ones to use yet?"

Kaede perused the available saki choices. She nodded. "Hai Shippo. I believe these three will do best for the ceremony. Would ye be so kind as to help me with setting up the table?"

Shippo beamed. "Of course, after all I am practically Kagome's adopted son."

Kaede smiled and passed the kit the three different sized ceremonial saki cups. "Bring them to my stand outside." Kaede carefully plucked the three saki bottles from the collection and followed the kit to the stand where they finished preparing for the ceremony.

Jakotsu ran over to Renkotsu and Suikotsu asking their approval for the gifts the tree of them would present to the couple.

Inuyasha took a deep breath and walked over to Miroku. His expression was pained. "Is there anything I can help with?" His tone was sad.

Miroku smiled. "I'm glad you came back Inuyasha." The two exchanged a look but talked no more of it. He passed a roll of light blue silk with gold embroidered turtles and plums on it to his friend. "I'm having some trouble. Would you please wrap this around the top of the tree?"

The half demon took the roll of silk and started to climb the tree. When he got to the top, he carefully wound the material around the branches and worked his way down until he could reach Miroku.

"Thanks," The monk then took it and finished wrapping it around the trunk.

Inuyasha hopped down from the tree and the two admired their work. It was a cherry blossom tree. The pink blooms contrasted nicely with the silk.

Miroku grinned and picked up a black roll with embroidered golden peaches and cranes on a peaceful nature back ground on it. "Will you kindly wrap this one around the other tree?"

Inuyasha nodded and took the roll leaping into the tree. He carefully wrapped it around the branches at the top and made his way down to Miroku, who finished by wrapping it delicately around the trunk.

_'I want Kagome happy, but this is too hard.'_ Inuyasha jumped down with his eyes burning. His chest ached as he took in how beautiful the place looked. He quickly told Miroku he'd be back and bounded toward the river needing a little more time alone.

_'Poor Inuyasha, no doubt this must be hard on him.'_ Miroku left to oversee that the celebration feast was being prepared. He walked into the saki stock and picked up a bottle of Toyonoaki and smiled. "Ah yes this will compliment the feast nicely."

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: Okay that's it for chapter fifteen. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. As Always feedback is greatly appreciated. XD**

**P.S. For those wondering what the symbols represent: According to my research crane, turtle, pine, bamboo, peaches and flower patterns symbolize longevity, health, happiness, fertility and luck for the Japanese.**


	16. Wedding Of Destiny

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**List of terms:**

**Tempura - **is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep fried.

**Toyonoaki – **An elegant and mature tasting sake.

**San-san-kudo** - literally means "three, three, nine times." The cup used at san-san-kudo is a special one called "sakazuki," which is only used to drink sake and no other beverages. The bride and groom take turns taking three sips each of three different bowls of sake, each one larger than the next. Three is an indivisible number and it is considered a sacred number in Buddhism.

- Nine means triple happiness. But just as the san-san-kudo sake sips may not be altogether delicious, the couple's marriage life may not always be delightful, but they will have to overcome their hardships with the co-operative spirit of the san-san-kudo. By exchanging the nuptial sake sips—three times three—husband and wife are united.

**Traditional Japanese Wedding Gifts:**

**Naga-Noshi – **abalone shell widely used in Japan to make crafts and gifts – to express sincere wishes from the giver.

**Katsuo-bushi - **dried bonito (a highly valued preserved food ingredient used to make soup stock) – to wish the couple a lasting marriage. {A type of fish}

**Surume - **dried cuttlefish – it is given for the same reason as "katsuo-bushi", to wish the couple a lasting marriage.

**Konbu – **known for its ability to breed – to wish the couple many happy and healthy children. {dried kelp}

**Shiraga or hemp – **its strong fibers are used to symbolize the wish for strong family ties. "Shiraga" also means white hair. Hemp is therefore used to wish the couple many years to come.

**Suehiro – a fan – **it opens from end to end and is given as a wish for happiness and a bigger and better future.

**Yanagi-daru - **a wine cask – money may be given in place of the wine cask for the purpose of purchasing "sake" wine. (cryptomeria), sake casks are made from willow trees with tender leaves. Sake casks are meant to symbolize a pledge for obedience and gentleness in marriage.

**Ceremony Saki flavors:**

**Hakutsuru - **Solid, straightforward, clean.

**Ayakiku - **Funky but balanced.

**Shochikubai - **Gentle and mellow.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: For those interested Bankotsu and Kagome's wedding bands and the info about how they are made can be found here: ****.com/2010/09/samurai_sword_**

**It's the earliest history I could find on Japanese wedding rings. The ceremony is based on the Edo period ceremonies as I could find nothing before then and Sengoku period directly precedes the Edo period.}**

**XOXOXO:**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 16: Wedding of Destiny**

Kagome decided to take a walk before the big ceremony. She found Inuyasha sitting by the river. His head was buried in his hands and he was trembling.

The young girl gingerly sat down beside the hanyou. Her voice was soft. "I've never seen you cry like that before."

He lowered his hands and faced the girl with wet cheeks. "Why did it have to come to this?" He stared at her with sad amber eyes.

Kagome's heart ached. She took a deep breath. "Inuyasha, you will always have a place in my heart." She placed her hand over his. "I love you, Inuyasha and I always will, but I love Bankotsu too."

Inuyasha sent her a small smile. "I guess it's kind of like me with you and Kikyo."

Kagome blinked and released a long breath. "Hai."

Inuyasha pulled her close and embraced her tightly. "Kagome, I love you too. I'm sorry I never told you before now." A clawed hand gently cupped her cheek.

Kagome pulled away from him slightly, looking into his topaz eyes. Love shown in her eyes along with a little sadness. "It's okay Inuyasha."

Overcome with the sense of loss Inuyasha slowly lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers kissing her with all of his unspoken emotions.

Kagome knew it was wrong, But after waiting so long for Inuyasha to kiss her like this she just couldn't find the strength to push him away. She wrapped her arms around his waist and returned his gentle but passionate kiss.

**XOXOXO:**

Bankotsu had also gone for a walk and stayed behind the trees. His jaw dropped and anger boiled inside him when he saw the scene before him. His grip tightened so much on his Banryu that his hand turned white.

When the two pulled apart Bankotsu caught a glimpse of their tear stained faces and the anger in him subsided, replaced with sympathy. He quickly but quietly turned around and walked away leaving the couple to enjoy their last romantic moment together.

_'Kagome… I know you love Inuyasha, but you also love me. You said so yourself. I have no idea about your true feelings, but I understand__. That's why just this once I'll let the kiss go.'_

**XOXOXO:**

Inuyasha broke the kiss and gazed into Kagome's eyes. They were filled with mixed emotions. Mostly sadness showed in her eyes. He could tell she was already feeling guilt over the kiss.

"Kagome… I'm sorry." He looked away from her with his shoulders slumped.

Kagome blinked and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be Inuyasha. We've both wanted that for too long now." Her heart sank into her stomach and she held his gaze. Her voice firmed a bit. "But it can never happen again. I am to marry Bankotsu."

Inuyasha sighed heavily. "I know you love Bankotsu."

Kagome nodded and placed a hand over her heart. "He's a good man." She took several deep breaths. "I also love you, Inuyasha. But, you have to move on and be happy. Just remember that I'll always be here for you as your friend."

Inuyasha frowned. "Just answer me one thing… If you had to choose who you loved more, who would it be?"

Kagome turned her back to him and a tear clung to her eye. "It isn't fair to even ask me that. It'd be like me forcing you to choose between me and Kikyo." She lowered her head and whispered, "I love both you and Bankotsu."

Inuyasha stared at her a moment. _'Have I really have lost her?' _His heart felt heavy and resignation filled him to the core. He stood to his feet. "In any case, we'd better get back to the village for the ceremony."

Kagome nodded and turned towards the village. _'Please move on Inuyasha. We can never be.'_

**XOXOXO: **

Kagome and Inuyasha made it back to Kaede's hut. Almost immediately when Kagome stepped inside, Bankotsu grabbed her arm and led her back outside.

Kagome blinked. "Bankotsu?"

His eyes locked to hers and his tone was flat. "I saw you and Inuyasha kissing."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Please let me explain."

Bankotsu put a hand up to quiet her. "I understand that have feelings for him too." His jaw tightened. _'As much as I don't like it, I do understand. She's traveled with him for nearly two years now.'_ Bankotsu wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace. "You don't need to explain Kagome. I just want you happy." He hugged her tighter.

Kagome pulled back to stare into his eyes. "Bankotsu… After waiting so long for Inuyasha to kiss me I just couldn't find it in me to push him away."

She felt his arms tighten on her waist and heard his sharp intake of breath. "Immediately after the kiss I felt guilty for it, because I know that I belong with you." She felt his grip loosen a bit and heard his breathing relax.

She pulled back to stare into his beautiful blue eyes and spoke firmly. "I know I will be happy with you." She stood on her tip toes to kiss the purple mark on Bankotsu's forehead.

Bankotsu searched her gaze. "Are you certain this is what you want?"

She nodded. "Absolutely."

He smiled and led her into the hut. He passed her the obi. "This is for you."

She held it to her heart a minute, before passing him the hakamas. "These are for you."

His eyes widened and he smirked. "Thank you."

She tied the obi around her waist and turned her back while he slipped into his wedding hakamas.

When he was decent he passed her a finely crafted Suehiro. Her eyes filled with moisture as she hugged the fan to her chest.

She passed him the small bundle she had gotten from Sango.

He passed her the scarf. "This one is from Jakotsu."

Her eyes welled with even more tears.

The gift exchange continued until all nine gifts were given to the other. They hugged and walked outside to join the others.

**XOXOXO:**

Inuyasha sat with Miroku near the table. _'As hard as this will be, I will be the one to give Kagome away in her grandfather's place.'_

"I assume the vows will start soon?" Inuyasha looked back to see Kagome and Bankotsu holding hands and chatting with Jakotsu.

"Hai, it should begin as soon as Kaede returns." Miroku replied.

Inuyasha gave Kagome a firm nod smiling at her. _'I will respect her wishes, no matter how hard it may be.'_

Sango walked over to Kagome and passed her a white rose. "I wish you two many happy, healthy years together." She bowed to the couple and then joined Miroku and Inuyasha.

Kagome squeezed Bankotsu's hand and felt her mood lighten when he kissed her cheek. Kagome pinned the rose to Bankotsu's haori and admired his new look. _'He's so strong and handsome.'_

Kaede returned and stood by the small table. The atmosphere was light and happy. It was so peaceful that it was almost like a barrier had been placed around the village and surrounding areas just for this momentous occasion.

Kaede placed the small, medium and large ceremonial saki bowls on the table. "Alright everyone gather around so the ceremony may begin."

Bankotsu turned to Jakotsu, who signaled thumbs up and pat his pouch holding the rings. Bankotsu grinned and walked over to the table.

Inuyasha slowly walked Kagome over to the other side of the table and lifted the veil. He smiled at her and then bowed to Kaede and took his place beside Miroku and Sango.

Kaede placed the binding ribbon on the table and faced everyone in attendance. "Today we will bind this man and this woman in the most sacred of bonds. Ye are here as witnesses to their blessed union."

She faced Bankotsu. "By this act ye swear to forsake all women but Kagome from here on out. Ye also swear to love her unconditionally. To protect her and put her needs above your own. Through this holy union ye two will become one."

Bankotsu's chest puffed with pride as his eyes landed on Kagome. "You look radiant." He winked at her.

Kaede cleared her throat and raised a brow. She faced the crowd again. "Marriage is the union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy and for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity."

She poured the Ayakiku saki into the tiniest bowl. She held the bowl above her head. "This saki represents the hardships and trails these two will undoubtedly face throughout their life together."

He gingerly tilted the tiny bowl to his lips and took a small sip. He titled the cup and sipped twice more and then passed it to Kagome.

She smiled and followed his lead sipping from it three times and then passed it back to him with slightly widened eyes. He passed it back to Kaede, who placed it on the table.

Kaede poured the Hakutsuru saki into the medium sized bowl and held it above her head. "This saki represents the strength of this holiest of unions and Bankotsu's strong nature, which makes him a worthy husband and provider as well as a fierce protector." She bowed her head and then passed the cup to Bankotsu.

Bankotsu tilted the cup to his lips and gingerly sipped three times before passing it to Kagome.

As with before Kagome followed his lead tilting the cup and gingerly sipping three times. _'At least this one tastes better.'_ She passed the cup to Bankotsu.

He passed the cup to Kaede, who again placed the cup on the table. "And now the rings."

Jakotsu stepped forward and passed Bankotsu the rings. He smiled and placed the smaller one on Kagome's ring finger. He kissed the top of her hand and mouthed 'I love you'.

She grinned and placed the larger ring on Bankotsu's ring finger. She mouthed back. 'I love you too'.

Kaede smiled and placed their wedding band hands in the air before her. "This union is unbreakable by man or beast." She carefully wrapped the binding ribbon around their wrists binding the union. She gently dropped three pours each of the three sakis onto the ribbon. "From this day forward ye two are bound to one another through good and bad. Ye have agreed to face whatever comes together."

She poured the final ceremonial saki into the largest bowl and held it above her head. "This final saki represents Kagome's worthiness as a wife and Bankotsu and Kagome's growing love for one another."

She smiled at both of them. "May it multiply endlessly and may ye two grow closer together than ye ever thought possible. May yer lives together be fruitful and filled with immeasurable joy." She passed the largest saki cup to Bankotsu's free hand.

Bankotsu gingerly titled the cup to his lips and sipped three times before passing the cup to Kagome.

She grinned and repeated his process passing it back to him.

Bankotsu passed the cup back to Kaede, who held it above her head. "These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go may they always return to one another." She took a deep breath and continued. "May they grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home which they establish together be such a place that many will find there a friend. May these rings on their fingers symbolize the touch of the spirit of love in their hearts."

Kaede lit the incense and placed her hands over their bound wrists. "Bankotsu and Kagome have consented together in marriage before this company of friends and family and have pledged their faith and declared their unity by giving and receiving a ring, so they are now joined. By the power vested in me by the Sengoku Judia and Almighty God, I now pronounce you man and wife." She bowed to the couple and watched as they leaned over the small table to share their first kiss as a married couple.

Bankotsu's kiss was surprisingly gentle and more passionate than before. Kagome kissed him back matching his passion with her own. When they pulled apart Kaede faced the crowd. "The San-san Kudo ceremony is now complete." She untied the ribbon and bowed to the couple, who while holding hands bowed to her.

Inuyasha's eyes burned with tears. _'Be happy Kagome.' _ His eyes remained on the couple as each guest presented them with gifts.

Sango hugged each of them and congratulated them and then left with Miroku to ensure the food was ready.

After all the gifts were received Inuyasha walked up to the couple. He stared Bankotsu in the eyes. "You better treat her right."

Bankotsu grinned. "Of course I will."

Inuyasha stared at Kagome and spoke with the greatest sincerity. "I want you to be happy Kagome."

She smiled and shone with an inner glow. "Thank you Inuyasha. I am very happy." She squeezed Bankotsu's hand.

Inuyasha bowed to her and held out a small wrapped bundle.

Kagome opened the bundle and gaped. She showed Bankotsu the Konbu and Naga- Noshi.

Bankotsu's eyes widened and he closed his hand over the gift. He bowed to Inuyasha. "As much as it pains me to say this, you're a good man Inuyasha. Thanks for the gift."

Inuyasha replied. "As much as I hate to admit it, I've never seen Kagome happier than she is today. Thank you for making her happy."

Kagome's eyes filled with tears as she and Inuyasha shared a brief hug and then she buried her face against Bankotsu's chest and wrapped her arms around him.

Bankotsu placed the gift with the others and wrapped her in a gentle but firm embrace as he led her away to give Kagome her final gift from him.

She gasped and her hand reverently ran over the soft material of the red and white over kimono with gold embroidery. She kissed his cheek. "Thank you it's gorgeous."

Bankotsu smiled. "It pales in comparison to your beauty." His eyes shone with love and honesty.

Her heart soared and she bowed to him and then went to change into it.

Bankotsu smirked and changed back into his white haori and hakamas, carefully folding his wedding clothes to place them aside with the many gifts.

Miroku gave them several saki casts and bottles of various sakis. Jakotsu gave them plenty Konbu. Renkotsu gave them plenty of Katsuo-bushi. Suikotsu and Ginkotsu presented them with many Surume. Kaede gifted them with a traditional tea ceremony set. Shippo gave them several pieces of Surume and a piece of Shiraga. They received many wonderful wedding gifts from their friends.

When Kagome returned the makeup was off of her face and her true beauty shone making her appear as if she had a slight glow around her.

Bankotsu kissed her hand. "That's much better." He kissed her cheek and led his wife toward their seats for the celebration feast. As the newlywed couple took their seats Inuyasha walked off to check on Sango and the others.

Moments later the food started to arrive. A humongous roasted boar and plenty of fresh steamed carrots, potatoes, radishes and corn were placed upon the middle of a large line of tables where the fest would take place. Boiled rice, fresh smoked fish, fresh bread, deviled eggs, rice balls, rice cakes and tempura soon joined.

A platter with large bowls of acorns, walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds soon were placed on another table.

Papayas, mangos, bananas, tangerines, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, kiwis, plums, and peaches all fresh were set next to the boar.

Kagome gasped and her eyes widened as the food continued to be brought forth and placed before them. _'Wow, that's a lot of food.'_

Bankotsu smirked as the saki was delivered last. _'Now this is a real feast fit for royalty.' _Today he almost felt like a king.

Bankotsu and Kagome sat in the middle of the tables next to each other. On the other side of Kagome sat Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, and Shippo. On the other side of Bankotsu sat Jakotsu, Renkotsu, and Suikotsu.

Various villagers sat along the second and third tables. While the food and drinks were served some villagers played music and danced for the happy couple. Every now and then Bankotsu would pick up Kagome's hand and kiss the top of it making her blush. They ate and drank both staring into each others eyes and enjoying their celebration.

Inuyasha found himself unable to eat any of the bountiful foods. When the celebration became too much to stand, he bounded off alone.

Kagome's eyes filled with sadness and she rose to go after him, but Bankotsu's arm wrapped around her wrist.

She blinked and stared at him confused. "He left so upset." The obvious concern in her voice and his spurred Bankotsu into action.

Bankotsu rose to his feet. "I'll go talk to him." He bowed to her and left to look for Inuyasha.

Kagome blinked and waited for his return. She pushed her food around on her plate and sighed.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: That's it for chapter sixteen. As you can see a lot of research went into this chapter. I hope you didn't mind the information terms overload at the beginning but I felt it prudent to get it out of the way first so you could enjoy the chapter without confusion and interruptions. Anyways I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Reviews are any author's biggest joy. XD**


	17. The True Test Of Friendship

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 17: The True Test of Friendship**

Inuyasha scowled. _'At least that dreaded wedding is over…'_ He sighed heavily. _'I couldn't stay at their celebration even another minute or I would have done something terrible.' _Inside he was angry about the wedding. While he was genuinely happy that Kagome was so happy, he felt as if he'd been cheated of his happiness for a second time.

Inuyasha sighed deeply and looked over the hill he was sitting on. Kagome and the others were still at the clearing, enjoying the feast that took place after the wedding. He however, needed to get away from all the commotion to think.

An image of Kagome's beautiful face entered his thoughts. Inuyasha eyes watered because no one was around to see him this time. '_Kagome… just a while ago you kissed me. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. You said you still loved me. Was that just a lie?'_

Inuyasha closed his eyes trying to breathe away the pain in his chest. When he opened them he was surprised to see Bankotsu standing in his face.

When the teenager spoke there was no contempt in his voice. "What's up, Inuyasha?"

"I was just thinking…"

Bankotsu's voice remained kind but with a hint of an edge to it. "Is this about me and Kagome?"

Inuyasha nodded. Bankotsu sat down on the grass where the half demon was sitting. "Inuyasha," Bankotsu plucked a blade of grass and shredded it into thinner pieces. "I know you love Kagome and she loves you too."

Inuyasha blinked.

Bankotsu's tone went flat. "I saw you two kissing earlier."

Inuyasha's eyes widened and his breath hitched. His legs bunched as if ready to bolt at any minute.

Bankotsu swallowed his rising anger and sighed heavily. "Kagome is her own person, and only she can decide who she wants to be with. Kagome told everyone that she loves me, but we all know she loves you too."

"How can you tell that I have doubts about Kagome?" Inuyasha raised a brow.

A small smile crossed Bankotsu's face. "She is like you in a sense. You are torn between Kagome and Kikyo. Kagome is torn between us. Just as you love two people, so does she."

He faced Inuyasha and stared deep into his eyes. "She is a good woman with a very large and kind heart. She gives so much to everyone around her without a thought for herself. She wants so much for you to move on and be happy."

Inuyasha fell silent feeling a little bitter.

Bankotsu continued. "For too long she has felt second best with you, because you also love another. However, I have never been in love with anyone else and I think that is why Kagome chose me to marry."

"I guess whatever makes her happy," Inuyasha's voice sounded distant and he stared up at the stars.

Bankotsu nodded and rose to his feet. "She's worried about you even now. She would have come after you, but I told her I wanted to talk to you first. I'm not your enemy anymore Inuyasha."

Inuyasha frowned and then blinked.

"I know it would make Kagome immensely happy if you could show her that you have truly accepted her decision." His gaze bore into the hanyou's.

"The question is can you put aside your feelings of doubt and sadness long enough to give her that little bit in return for all she has already given you?" Bankotsu turned around and walked back towards the celebration.

Inuyasha stood staring after the mercenaries retreating back as his final words sank in. Inuyasha's fists clenched and unclenched a few times as he forced his pain into the furthest recesses of his mind. He took a deep breath and headed back to the celebration in silence.

**XOXOXO:**

Kagome stood with Sango and Miroku near the food table. She paced slightly as she waited for her husband to return. _'He said he was going to find Inuyasha.' _He bit her lip. _'I hope they don't fight.'_

"Yo!" Bankotsu greeted happily, walking up to Kagome and the others. "Where are the rest of my men?"

"Over by the trees drinking some saki." Miroku answered.

Bankotsu grinned. "Ah, of course."

"I'm going to eat a bit." Inuyasha made himself a small plate. He turned to Kagome. "Have you finished eating?"

The ebony haired girl nodded. "Bankotsu made sure I had plenty to eat."

"Hey brother Bankotsu." Suikotsu greeted.

The young Shichinintai leader and Kagome looked up to see the rest of the Shichinintai standing before them.

"Hey guys." Kagome smiled.

Renkotsu nodded and then faced his leader. "Big brother? When will we return to our castle?"

"Ginkotsu is already packed and ready." Jakotsu said before Bankotsu had a chance to speak.

"Then I guess we'll be off." He turned to Kagome. "Pack your stuff and meet me outside of Kaede's hut."

Kagome raised her eyebrow. "What about my friends?"

Bankotsu smiled. "Our castle is about a mere thirty minute walk from here. You can come back here anytime you want. We are married, but I am not going to dictate you."

Kagome nodded. "I wish to talk privately with Inuyasha before I leave."

"Kagome," Bankotsu mumbled.

Her eyes pleaded with him. "I won't do anything you wouldn't like. I just want to talk to him."

Bankotsu nodded in approval. "Very well then. We will wait for you between the trees were our vows took place."

Kagome left Bankotsu and the others to seek out Inuyasha.

When she was well out of earshot, Jakotsu, Suikotsu, and Renkotsu turned to their chief.

"Was that really so wise?" Renkotsu raised a brow.

"What do you mean?" Bankotsu looked at his comrade confused.

"To let Kagome be alone with Inuyasha." Renkotsu elaborated.

"Big brother trusts Kagome." Jakotsu grinned.

"You're right." Bankotsu mumbled. "Kagome would never betray me." A brief flashback of Kagome and Inuyasha's kissed flashed through his mind, but he brushed it off and led his men over to Ginkotsu, who was already loaded with the various gifts and plenty of the wonderful leftovers from the feast.

Inuyasha had walked back to Kaede's hut after eating. The two were standing rather close, but not touching one another.

"So, you're going to go live in the Shichinintai castle?" Inuyasha's eyes ran over the girl and the small room.

"Yeah," she continued packing her yellow bag.

"Would you like me to help pack your stuff?"

Kagome shook her head once. "Nah, I've got it. Besides, most of my stuff is back at home. I can get some of it later."

"Kagome…" Inuyasha placed his hand on hers.

Kagome's hand muscles tightened, but her hand remained where it was.

Inuyasha used his thumb to raise her chin and stared longingly into her eyes. "I meant every word when I said I loved you and wanted you to be happy."

Kagome smiled cordially. She gently withdrew her hand from Inuyasha's and playfully caressed one of his ears. "I know that. I wasn't lying either, you know."

Inuyasha fought the urge to pull her against him. "So… I guess you'll be off soon?"

She nodded.

"See you around then." His voice was barely a whisper and he kept his face schooled.

Kagome hugged him and then ran out to Bankotsu flinging herself into his arms with a muffled sob.

Bankotsu blinked. "Are you okay?"

The genuine concern in his voice was nearly her undoing. She nodded.

He scooped her into his arms bridal style and hopped onto Ginkotsu. "Take us home Ginkotsu." He enveloped her with his strength.

Kagome closed her eyes against the threatening tears and buried her face against her husband's chest. Though she knew in her heart she made the right decision, she couldn't help but feel Inuyasha's pain as if it were her own.

_'Kagome,' _Bankotsu cradled his wife and rubbed one hand down her back while nuzzling his face into her hair. He inhaled deeply drawing in her unique scent and everything in him stilled. Bankotsu was absolutely ruthless against anyone he perceived an enemy. He killed without remorse. But she looked past all of that to the man who fiercely protected the few he actually accepted into his heart. He would protect his cherished few with every ounce of strength he possessed, even with his dying breath.

The final layer of the brick wall around his heart crashed to the ground, breaking into millions of tiny pieces. The fact that Kagome didn't hold his past against him humbled him. That she chose _him_ for her husband, made Bankotsu feel like the richest man in the world. He kissed the top of her head and his arms tightened around her. _'I don't know why you chose me, but I swear I will make damned sure you never regret it.'_

**XOXOXO: **

**A/N: Okay that's it for chapter seventeen. Hopefully the emotions came off the way I hoped they would. Anyways from here on out it's all from scratch. Enjoy every one! XD**


	18. Spousal Prerogatives

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 18: Spousal Prerogatives.**

Bankotsu rubbed her back the whole trip to the castle. His heart ached seeing her so upset. When they reached the castle he stood with her in his arms. "Ja, you and the others bring the gifts and food inside. Store them in the living room for now."

He jumped down with Kagome in his arms and Banryu on his back. He landed gracefully on his feet and carried his wife towards their room. He kicked the door shut and crossed the wide expanse of the bare floor to gently place her on the bed.

His thumb slipped under her chin and he stared into her moisture filled eyes. His voice was low and soft. "Would you like me to leave you alone for a while? You could take a hot soak or something."

Her lower lip trembled and her hands fisted in his haori. "Iie, please don't go. I don't want to be alone tonight." The pleading look mixed with a little fear in her eyes nearly killed him.

"Kagome, I'm not going to rush you into anything you aren't ready for." He reached over kissing the top of her head.

She blinked and her breath hitched. "I thought this was our wedding night?"

He smiled. "Hai, but that doesn't mean I will shred your clothes and jump your bones." He chuckled at her gasp and the way her eyes widened like saucers. He took her hand in his and brushed his lips against her open palm. "Kags, just because we are married doesn't require we jump right into sex."

Her eyes locked to his and her palm tingled where his lips touched.

He placed her hand on his cheek. "I know it will be your first time and I'm willing to wait until you are completely comfortable with me. I will always take care of you."

Her heart slammed against her ribs as his words echoed like a mantra in her mind. She felt his lips against her palm and felt something coil tight, low in her belly.

His free hand tenderly stroked her hair. "Just because I'm a mercenary doesn't mean I'm a savage. I know how to respect women."

Her eyes stung with tears and she swallowed against the lump in her throat. Her voice was barely a whisper. "I know you do." She used her free hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

Bankotsu's thumb stroked the back of her hand. He wanted so bad to pull her to him and wrap her in his arms. His free hand flexed and un-flexed.

She surprised him by slipping into his lap and kisses his chin. "Thank you for being so considerate of my feelings."

His hands cupped her face. "Your feelings will always be important to me." He swallowed against the lump in his throat as emotions welled up inside him. He kissed under her eye.

Kagome's eyes slid closed as she felt the light pressure of his lips. Her hand slid to the back of his head playing with his braid. His thumbs gently caressed her cheeks as he pulled back.

She opened her eyes and gasped at the depth of emotion she saw shining in his. His voice blanketed her with warmth and love. "Your happiness will always be my first priority from here on out."

She smiled and felt her heart fluttered. His lips hovered barely an inch from hers. She pressed her lips against his. His tongue slowly slid across her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and wrapped her arms around the back his neck. He kissed her deeply for a minute and then pulled back to smile at her. He shifted so her back was to him and kissed her shoulder, while his arms circled around her waist.

She inhaled a sharp breath as she felt his warm lips press against her sensitive neck where the shoulder met it. The coil inside her belly turned to heat as his mouth lavished attention on her neck and shoulder. She rolled her head to the side and placed her hand over his.

He smiled against her flesh and nibbled her neck.

She sighed and felt her body melting into him. The hard planes of his body contrasted nicely to her soft curves. She loved how protected and even desired he made her feel.

His lips nuzzled her ear before he pulled his arms from around her and gently massaged her shoulders. "Relax Kags," his breath floated against her ear.

She felt the tension easing from her sore shoulders as his hands worked away the tightness. "Mm, that feels great." She hadn't realized how tight her shoulders were until he started rubbing them.

Bankotsu chuckled and lightly ran his fingers of one hand down her arm, causing her skin to form goose pimples wherever his fingers brushed. He felt her shiver against him and looked up. "You okay?"

She nodded and stared at his lips for a few seconds before locking her gaze to his. "I know you'll take care of me." The sheer trust shinning in her eyes caused his heart to melt.

He brushed his lips against hers. "When the time comes I will do everything to ensure you're body is properly prepared." He grinned at her blush and shifted to his feet.

"For now though, I think you'll enjoy what I have in mind." He eased her onto her back and removed her shoes. His thick fingers began to rub the arch of her foot as he used a damp cloth to clean her feet.

Her eyes closed and a soft moan spilled from her lips. She hadn't realized just how sore her feet were. Each deliberate deep rub of her arch caused more tension to drain from her body. _'That feels so good.' _

Bankotsu smiled as he watched her relax. _'At least she isn't harping about the mutt.'_ Call him selfish but this was their wedding night and Bankotsu only wanted his wife's attention on them, sure as hell not on the mutt!

He rolled his shoulders relaxing them. "You like this?" His hand gently massaged the base of her foot and he kissed the tip of her big toe.

She purred. "Mhm," She smiled. "I could lay here for hours letting you do that." His strong hand meticulously rubbing away every ache from her foot felt so wonderful. _'I wonder what else his hands could do?' _

Kagome's face heated as a picture of his hands running over her stomach and cupping her breasts flashed into her mind. She might be a virgin but that didn't mean she didn't know what to expect, after all people in her time were quite open about sex, especially the girls from school. They had told her what to expect long ago. She felt her face heat more. Only the moonlight spilled in the window splashing across the bed. Kagome silently sent up a prayer for the lack of light in the room.

He chuckled. _'I can think of better ways to spend those hours, but not until she's ready.' _Kagome was his wife and therefore it was his privilege to tend to _all _of her needs, physical and emotional. He opened his mouth and slipped her big toe inside teasing it with his tongue. He chuckled when he felt her body shiver in response.

His mouth slowly lavished her toe before he popped it free and kissed the arch of her foot. His hands slowly moved up to her calve massaging the muscles. She smiled feeling pampered. "You're spoiling me."

He sent her a heartwarming boyish grin. "Isn't a man allowed to spoil his woman every now and then?"

She giggled. "Hai, but if you spoil me too much you'll have no one to blame but yourself when I demand to be pampered."

He chuckled. "I'm sure I can handle it. Besides, we've walked our feet off these last few weeks, so your feet probably feel like they're going to fall off. Hush and enjoy it while you can."

She grinned and removed her outer kimono. She lay back on the bed closing her eyes and basked in his attention.

Bankotsu smirked and picked up her other foot cleaning it and then massaging the pain away. His voice turned completely serious. "I mean it Kagome; we won't do anything tonight unless you want to." He slipped the big toes into his mouth caressing it with his tongue.

A shiver of desire ran through her and the fire in her body grew stronger. Her breathing hitched and she tried not to think of his hands running over her body. Instead she opened her eyes and focused on him. _'His broad shoulders would be the envy of any line backer.'_

His face was so handsome it made her heart melt. "How did I ever get so lucky?" Her whispered voice drifted to him.

He kissed her foot and placed it against his shoulder. He slowly worked his hands up to her calve massing away the tightness of her overused muscles. "I'm the one who is lucky. You're every man's dream - beautiful, kind, and strong."

She frowned. "I'm not - "

He pressed his finger against her lips. "You have an inner strength like I've never seen before."

She blinked. "I do?"

He nodded and kissed her lips. "You've been through more than any woman I've known before and yet you've managed to come out of it smiling."

She stared at him and tilted her head to the side.

"Kags, you've seen things that would have made any other woman run away screaming and you faced them head on." He smiled. "That takes some real courage baby."

Her bosom rose and fell with every breath. Her cheeks burned red. He moved to rub her other leg. "I've never seen a woman with the courage you've shown many times already."

He moved to lie beside her. He took her hand and kissed the top of it before placing her palm against his chest. Her body tingled all over and she felt a wave of desire course through her veins.

Her fingers itched to touch his skin. Her hand slowly opened his haori. Her fingers splayed across his chest soaking in the heat radiating from him.

He blinked and pushed up on his elbows. "Kagome?" His voice held a slight edginess to it.

She chewed her bottom lip. "I need to feel your skin." Her eyes searched his as if asking permission.

He nodded and lay back allowing her hands to run along his chest. _'Her hands are soft, yet firm.' _His hands held hers a moment and he stared into her eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

She nodded. "I've wanted to run my hands over your chest since I first saw it in the cave." Her voice was slightly husky.

He chuckled and removed his haori, allowing her free reign of his chest. He closed his eyes relishing in the way her hands rubbed small circles across his pecks. _'This feels nice.'_

**A/N lemon edited out!**

Hours later, he curled protectively around her pushing his thighs against the back of hers.

Kagome closed her eyes and practically purred her satisfaction as she kissed his arm. "I love you koibito."

He nuzzled his against the back of her neck and softly kissed the skin. "I love you too koiishi."

She grinned and drifted to sleep in his arms.

_'I must be the luckiest man on earth.' _He listened to her breathing even out and closed his eyes following her into a peaceful slumber.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: Well how was that for Ban/Kag's wedding night? Anyways that's chapter eighteen. Enjoy everyone XD**


	19. Reprecussions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 19: Repercussions.**

Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and Shippo sat around in a circle inside the hut. Kirara nestled curled in Sango's lap, enjoying her mistress's petting. She purred lightly and settled her head on her folded paws. She closed her eyes.

"I'm worried about Inuyasha. He's hardly even said a word since the wedding."

"Indeed, he hasn't seemed himself these past four days."

"He doesn't even chase me anymore. He just sits up in the tree sulking."

"Do you think he's taking Bankotsu and Kagome's marriage hard, or do you think he misses Kikyo?"

"I think Inuyasha misses sister Kikyo."

"I think you're right Kaede. This is much more than being upset over Kagome's wedding. It's almost as if he's withdrawn into himself or as if part of his soul is missing."

"Oh Miroku, you don't think he's remembered killing Kikyo," she tilted her head to the side. "Do you?"

The monk shook his head. "Iie, at least not yet," He rubbed his chin. "But I do think he's wondering about her sudden disappearance."

"What are we going to tell him?"

"For now I think it would be wisest to let him have some time to himself."

"I agree. But you know he's going to ask sooner or later."

"I do not relish the pain we are bound to see in his eyes when he figures it out."

Sango nodded and sighed heavily as she continued running her fingers through Kirara's thick fur. "I feel bad for him. Sooner or later he'll have to face what he has done."

Miroku nodded. "Let's hope it's much later." He tapped his staff against his knee. _'And that it doesn't drive him over the edge.'_

Kaede frowned and stirred the stew. "Sister Kikyo was a big part of his life. I fear that now with Kagome married off, there is no telling how Inuyasha may react to the news about my sister. With neither of them to keep Inuyasha in check I fear he may turn into a full demon and destroy everything in sight."

Shippo folded his hands in his lap and bit his bottom lip. _'I hope Inuyasha doesn't do anything stupid like attack Kagome.'_

Miroku nodded. "I have similar worries Kaede."

Sango frowned. "Facing Inuyasha in battle when he is driven by rage and anger could very well kill every one of us, especially if he turns into a full demon."

Miroku sighed. "Lady Kagome is the only one besides Kikyo who seems able to get through o him, however if she and Bankotsu have consummated their marriage, it might very well push Inuyasha into a different realm of aggression."

Shippo squeaked. "But Bankotsu won't let anyone hurt Kagome. She's his wife and under his protection now. He'd die before letting anyone hurt her."

Sango frowned. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Miroku nodded. "Lady Kagome would be devastated to lose either of them at this point, for her to lose both might very well drive her into madness."

"And with the beads of subjugation now gone, I fear nothing and no one will be able to reach through to the Inuyasha we once knew."

"Let's pray it never comes to that point."

The small group gazed into the fire, each lost in their own thoughts.

**XOXOXO:**

_Kikyo stood in front of him with four, inch deep lacerations across her shoulder and left breast. Thick wet liquid splatters his claws, face and chest. He watched her eyes widen as she dropped her bow and fell to the ground on her knees._

_She gasped and her face tightened. She closed her eyes and clenched the dirt in her fists. _

_"Why?"_

_He licked his claws, savoring the sweet metallic tang of her life's essence. "Miko blood has always been the tastiest." He felt his lips curl into a smirk._

_Wide brown eyes stared up at him as her breathing grew shallower. She fell onto her back. Her shaky hand reached up to him and her eyes filled with betrayal and then glassed over._

_"Inuyasha, why did you betray me?" Her hand fell limp to the ground and her eyes rolled back._

_ 'Kikyo!'_

Inuyasha jumped awake with his heart slamming painfully against his chest. He jerked a hand through his hair and snorted.

"Damnit not again," He punched the trunk behind him.

His stomach roiled and his gut twisted into a tight knot low in his belly. Bile rose in his throat and he leaned over inhaling slow, deep breaths. Tears flowed down his cheeks. He tore out of the tree and ran into the woods.

"Damnit Kikyo, where are you?"

He shoved his way through shrubs and limbs hacking them apart with his claws. He checked for signs of her soul collectors and found empty sky.

"Kikyo!" his feet pounded the ground and he continued tearing through the land looking for his beloved.

He mumbled to himself tearfully. "It's just a nightmare. It has to be a nightmare. Come on Inuyasha, wake up." he pinched his arm. "Wake the hell up!" He flinched as his claws tore into his flesh.

"Please Kikyo, be alright." He tore through the lands checking every cave, tree, and behind every bush.

"Kikyo!" he fell to his knees and pulled at his hair. _'Where is she? Why can't I find her?'_

The image of her prone body bleeding in front of him as she sprawled out on the ground with soulless eyes staring at him caused his fists to pound the ground.

"Kikyo, answer me!"

Tears burned his eyes as his stomach roiled and bile rose. His heart shuddered and he felt his stomach tighten into a knot. His hands pressed against his face. "Please Kami tell me Kikyo is safe?" He rocked back and forth.

He jumped to his feet. "Kikyo!" his claws tore through the woods and he tossed big rocks around, the ones that wouldn't move were destroyed with his windscar and then he dug through the rubble.

"Kikyo!"

His eyes fell to the ground and his fists punched the ground as he cried out for her again and again.

"Answer me!"

His claws dug deep gouges into the soil. His heart squeezed like a vise in his chest to the point he could barely breathe.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N it's a shorter chapter than usual but trust me, this was the best place to end it. I'd love to hear your opinions. XD **

**Next chapter Midoriko appears before the happy couple to deliver some very disturbing news. **


	20. Bad Tidings

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 20: Bad Tidings.**

Kagome laughed as Bankotsu rounded the table and caught her by the waist.

"Got you."

He pulled her to the floor and tickled her ribs.

"Ha ha ha, stop!" She tried to fend off his hands.

He chuckled and his fingers continued assailing her ribs. "Give up?"

She wiggled and gasped. "I give!"

"I always win." He winked at her and then stood up, helping her to her feet.

"No fair tickling. That's cheating." She pouted.

"All is fair in love and war."

He kissed her before she could respond. Her arms draped around his neck and she kissed his back. He pulled back and smiled.

She hugged him. "I love you."

Bankotsu kissed her forehead. "I love you more."

Jakotsu made a gagging gesture and shivered.

Bankotsu chuckled and hugged Kagome from behind. "Get used to it Ja, cause you'll be seeing a lot more of it."

Jakotsu sent him a horrified scowl. "At least do that in your room with the door closed."

Bankotsu laughed and Kagome blushed.

Suikotsu dropped the cornmeal mush and fruit on the table. "Breakfast is ready."

Kagome's stomach rumbled. "I'm starving."

"Well duh, you two have stayed locked up in your room for four days now."

"It's not like we haven't been eating, we've just been… busy." Bankotsu smirked and led his blushing wife over to the table.

Renkotsu snorted. "It's about time to two lovesick fools came out to join the rest of the world."

"Aw, what's the matter Ren, jealous?"

Renkotsu snorted derisively. "Not even close." He scowled at his leader. "There is more to life than marital bliss. You have other responsibilities - "

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Bankotsu waved offhandedly and sat at the head of the table with Kagome on his right.

Suikotsu passed out the fruit and the mush and placed a glass of juice before his little sister.

"Thank you Suikotsu."

He smiled. "You're welcome little sister."

Kagome blushed and lifted the glass to her lips. _'I don't think I'll ever get used to be referred to as their little sister.' _She slowly swallowed the fresh squeezed juice and closed her eyes. _'I can however get used to this.'_

Bankotsu plopped a large spoonful of the mush onto his plate and then onto Kagome's plate. "We so need better food."

Kagome placed the glass on the table. "If you're willing to buy what I ask for, I will cook you all some real food."

Bankotsu smirked and passed her a scroll. "Write down what you need love. I'll make damned sure you get it."

She blinked and took the scroll and ink and wrote the list of ingredients. She passed it to him.

He looked it over and nodded. He passed the scroll to Renkotsu. "You and Sui go buy everything on this list. You have three hours before I expect you back here. Take Ginkotsu and make haste."

He waved them off with his hand.

Renkotsu grunted and tucked the scroll into his haori. Suikotsu prepared Ginkotsu and the three took off.

Bankotsu bit into a pomegranate and savored the juice.

Kagome slowly ate her food and then enjoyed the grapes.

Jakotsu sat across the table and picked at his gruel.

"Why the long face Ja?"

Jakotsu sighed heavily. "It's just, usually the guys and I are the only things important to you and now…"

"Ja, you have been with me since before we formed the Shichinintai. You have remained loyalist of all. You will always be important to me."

Kagome smiled at him. "I have no intentions of trying to replace anyone Jakotsu, least of all you. But, I do intend to have my husband to myself now and then."

Bankotsu grinned. "Kags is my wife Ja. You are my best friend and nothing will ever change that."

Jakotsu smiled. "Promise?"

Bankotsu nodded. "Hai." He stared into Jakotsu's eyes. "In fact, I'm hoping you two will learn to cooperate and work together."

Jakotsu sat up straighter. "Eh?"

Bankotsu smiled. "Kagome will not always be able to remain by my side in battle. I'm hoping I can depend on you to watch over her while I'm battling demons and such."

Jakotsu grinned. "Of course I will."

Kagome frowned. "Oi, it's not like I'm completely helpless."

Bankotsu turned to her and stroked her cheek. "Iie, not at all. However, if anything were to happen to you I honestly don't know what I would do, other than unleash hell itself. I'd become a mad man and destroy everything in my path."

She cupped his hand and nuzzled her cheek into his palm. "Nothing will happen to me love."

Jakotsu stood up. "Indeed it won't. You can count on me Big-Brother."

Bankotsu smirked and nodded. He kissed Kagome and pulled back. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. She smiled back at him and then smiled at Jakotsu.

"Thank you Jakotsu."

Jakotsu smiled. "It will be my honor little sister."

Bankotsu's heart squeezed and he stood up. "When the others return we will put the food away and then discuss what our next move will be."

Jakotsu nodded and ate his gruel.

Two hours later Ginkotsu's rumble shook the ground as he came to a halt outside the castle.

They put the food away and Kagome cooked a nice lunch. She placed the chicken and dumplings on the table and dished it out.

Everyone ate, savoring the delicious meal and drank their tea. After the food was finished Bankotsu slapped the table. Everyone fell silent and all eyes turned to their leader.

"We know that something horrible is in store for the whole of Japan and that mine and Kagome's marriage is supposed to somehow turn the tides in our favor. However, we above all else should know nothing is ever set in stone."

His men nodded.

Kagome held her tongue in check and waited for her husband to finish speaking.

"We are now allied with Inuyasha and his group and we will hold true to our alliance."

The men nodded again.

"I want your weapons prepared for use at any moment, so if you have not prepared them, do so immediately after this meeting."

The men shifted in their seats.

"Kagome, I want you to pack food that won't spoil and will feed all of us while we are away. I also want you to pack two blankets and one spare set of clothes."

"Hai Ban."

He turned to Renkotsu. "I want Ginkotsu fully loaded and ready to go. Make sure your fire concoction in your gourd is full as well."

"Hai Big Brother."

"Suikotsu, I want you ready to fight or heal whichever is more urgent at any given time. Prepare your herbs and clean your claws."

"It will be done Big Brother."

"Jakotsu, I want you to guard Kagome at all times. Fight alongside her and don't hold her back unless it's necessary to do so."

"You got it Big Brother."

"Bring your blankets because the nights are starting to grow chilly. Renkotsu will handle making all fires, including gathering the wood. Suikotsu will gather the water whenever we make camp. Jakotsu, Kagome and I will handle the hunting and cooking duties."

Everyone nodded.

"Good, so we know Naraku is involved. His stench is all over this cockamamie scheme. He's already sunk his claws into Inuyasha once, so we must keep our guards up at all times. We will sleep in shifts. There will be two guards at all times when we are camped out, even if we are at an inn. No one goes off alone for any reason. No exceptions!"

Everyone swallowed and nodded.

"Kagome, you are to keep your bow and arrows on hand at all times, even when sleeping."

"I understand."

He nodded. "Good, now Jakotsu I want you to fill the canteens as soon as we're done here."

Light flashed in the room and the air crackled with energy. When the near blinding light settled down and the mist faded, Midoriko stood before them.

"Warrior, I bring grave news."

Cool blue eyes narrowed. "Speak."

"I have recently discovered that while under Naraku's control the hanyou slew his beloved Kikyo."

"Oh no," Kagome's hand flew to cover her heart as it squeezed painfully in her chest. Her other hand gripped the chair arm so tightly her knuckles turned white. She bit her bottom lip. _'Inuyasha.'_ Her heart sank into her stomach and she squeezed her eyes shut.

Bankotsu placed a hand over hers and lightly squeezed.

Kagome's chest ached and her eyes welled with tears. She turned and buried her face in her husband's chest. His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her in his lap. Her tears soaked his haori. His hand slowly ran up and down her back as her shoulders shook. Kagome clung to her husband and sobbed into his chest.

Bankotsu stared into Midoriko's eyes. "This isn't good."

"Iie it is not. I fear it may very well prove the hanyou's undoing."

Bankotsu's jaw tightened His arms wrapped around his wife's shaking frame and he held her close to his heart. _'She has a point… Grief can cause even the most reliable men to become wildly unstable.'_

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: I know it's another short chapter, but a vital one! I have a couple surprising twists planned for the rest of this story. Anyways that's it for chapter twenty, enjoy everyone. Reviews are any author's best motivation, so don't be shy to let me know what you think. XD**

**A/N II:**** Heads up to all of my readers. I am approximately 7 chapters away from completing SKS and 9 away from completing BGC, so after this next round of updates I will be focusing mainly on those two stories until both are completed. This means MEMF, AAO, SYL, and IIAB will take longer to update. Thanks in advance for your patience.**

**~Tempest78.**


	21. Inuyasha's Worst Nightmare

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**A/N: So it's Dec 1st and NanoWriMo is officially over. I'm pleased to announce that not only did I win the contest, but I also completed my entire Nano Novel at 82,176 words long. I'm thrilled I was able to complete an entire novel in one month. The feeling of accomplishment is amazing. Participating in Nano has been a very enlightening experience.  
**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 21: Inuyasha's Worst Nightmare.**

"Why won't you answer me?" A blurry image filled his mind.

_Kikyo stood her ground. She raised her bow and notched her arrow. "So, this is what it comes to?"_

_Inuyasha watched in slow motion as his body lunged forward snarling with saliva dripping from his fangs._

_"Hiraikotsu!" Sango's weapon hit the ground in front of Inuyasha making him leap back and smash his back into one of the larger trees._

_"Lady Kikyo!" Miroku knelt over Kikyo's prone body._

Inuyasha's heart raced. '_What the hell? Not again.' _He punched the ground and then blinked. '_Why was that lecherous hoshi there?' _He glared at his bleeding knuckles._ 'There is only one way to find out.'_ He sped off through the woods, shoving the low lying branches out of his face with a huff.

'_Miroku better not lie to me.' _Inuyasha increased his speed and bit back a growl. He broke through the trees and his eyes narrowed towards Kaede's hut.

"Miroku," he snatched the monk up by the lapels of his robe and put his face in the monk's. "Why do I keep having flashes of you kneeling over Kikyo's body while she lays injured on the ground?"

He watched the monk's eyes widen.

"Wait Inuyasha, it's not what you think."

"Stay out of this Sango!" He growled at the monk. "You better answer me."

Sango pulled a pellet out of her slayer uniform and tossed it to break open against Inuyasha's head.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha dropped Miroku and jumped away from the powder that burned his eyes and nose. He glared at Sango. "Damnit, what did you do that for?" He rubbed at his nose and snorted trying to make the burning stop.

Sango stepped in front of Miroku who slowly stood to his feet.

"Calm down Inuyasha and I will explain." Miroku fixed his lapels in place and dusted off his robe.

"Somebody better start talking." Inuyasha's hands tightened into fists and he paced back and forth never taking his eyes off the slayer or the monk.

Miroku sighed heavily and picked up his staff. "You're not going to like what I have to say, but I think it's time you know the truth." He stared at Sango who sighed and nodded.

"I think you better sit down for this." She walked over and placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he removed her hand. "Spit it out already."

Miroku sighed heavily and sat Indian Style. He placed his staff across his lap and nodded for Sango to sit too.

"Sango and I went looking for Lady Kikyo and found her bleeding already."

"Why was she bleeding?" Inuyasha frowned.

Miroku's eyes locked to his. "There is no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to say it outright."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Spit it out already!"

"Lady Kikyo was bleeding because you attacked her."

"Me?" Inuyasha's eyes widened and his body trembled. _'No, he must be joking.' _He snarled. "If this is some kind of twisted joke, it isn't funny."

Sango shook her head side to side. "He's telling you the truth Inuyasha." She rose to her feet with one hand holding Hiraikotsu over her back. "I even had to use Hiraikotsu to get you away from her."

_Hiraikotsu hit the ground in front of Inuyasha. He leapt back and smashed his back into one of the larger trees. _

Inuyasha's mouth fell open with a whimper. His hands shook as he held them in front of his face. _'No, it wasn't me.' _He watched blood cover his claws and felt bile rise in the back of his throat. _'It couldn't have been me.'_

_Inuyasha's claws dug four inch deep gashes across Kikyo's clay chest. Blood splattered his face claws and chest. He smirked sadistically and licked the blood from one of his claws. "Miko blood has always been the tastiest."_

"It's just a nightmare. It has to be a nightmare." Inuyasha's stomach roiled and his gut twisted into a tight knot low in his belly. He stared horrified at the blood on his claws and tried to shake the blood off. "Get it off!"

He jumped to his feet and bolted down the hill over to the river. His shoulders hunched over and his voice cracked. "Not me." He fell to his knees and shoved his hands into the water trying to scrub them clean. Every time he pulled them out of the water to check he saw them stained with blood.

'_This isn't happening!' _He shoved them back into the water and scrubbed them as his eyes blurred from the liquid threatening to spill over. "Go away. Why won't it just go away." He scrubbed harder tearing some of his flesh from his hands. "Just go away." He trembled.

"Inuyasha stop. You're tearing skin off." Miroku knelt beside his fried and tried to grab his hands.

"I have to get them clean. Why won't they come out clean?" Inuyasha shoved him away and vigorously scrubbed his hands underwater. _'This isn't happening.'_ His heart shuddered and he felt his stomach tighten into a hard knot. His heart squeezed like a vise in his chest to the point he could barely breathe.

'_It's a nightmare. It has to be.'_ Inuyasha rocked in place and fisted his hands by his knees. Tears spilled down his cheeks as he grabbed his hair and started pulling it hard. His face feel to the earth and his fist pounded the soil. "No!"

Miroku sighed heavily and placed his hand on Inuyasha's back. "Don't blame yourself Inuyasha."

Inuyasha shrugged off his hand and slammed his fist into the ground. "No! Damnit!" his fist hit the ground with every word." Damnit, damnit, damnit!"

"It's not your fault Inuyasha." Sango walked over and stared at him. "Naraku was controlling you."

Inuyasha's head spun in her direction and his eyes narrowed. "Naraku…?" A dangerous growl rose from his throat.

She nodded. "We don't know how yet, but he got a jewel shard in you and controlled you through it."

He growled and jumped to his feet. He glared at Miroku. "Where is her body?"

"We dug a grave and gave her a proper burial." His eyes filled with sympathy.

"I want to see her grave, now."

Miroku sighed and nodded. "We will take you my friend."

Inuyasha growled. "Take me there right now."

Miroku nodded and led him towards the woods with Sango by his side.

'_I can't believe she's actually gone.' _Inuyasha remained stonily silent as he followed them. His claws dug into his palms. _'You will pay Naraku, even if it the last thing I ever do.'_

"It's just a little further now." Miroku used his staff to help him ascend the hill.

Inuyasha's stomach lurched as they got closer to her grave. _'Kikyo, I'm so sorry.'_

Miroku stepped over beneath a tree to a small pile of rocks over fresh dirt and her name carved into the bottom of the tree trunk.

He fell to his knees and dug through the dirt like a madman, shaking the closer her got to the bottom.

Miroku sighed. "It took me an hour to fill that dirt in." He grunted as Sango's elbow connected with his ribs.

Inuyasha hit pulled out the broken bow and arrow and frowned. "Is this some kind of fucking joke?" He rounded on Miroku and snatched him up by the lapels of his robe. "Where the fuck is she?"

Miroku paled. "It's not a joke Inuyasha. I placed her body there myself."

Sango looked at the nearly empty grave and shook her head as she stepped back. "I don't understand it. I helped Miroku bury her."

"I'm not fucking amused."

"I swear Inuyasha, we buried her right here."

"Then where the fuck is she?"

"I don't know."

Inuyasha snorted and tossed the monk to the ground. He stormed over to the grave and picked up her broken bow. "Kikyo, I will find you."


	22. Naraku's Betrayal

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**A/N: I know this is short, but I wanted to post it in time for Christmas. Enjoy everyone and Merry Christmas. XD**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 22: Naraku's Betrayal.**

Naraku stood over the clay body. _'Once Inuyasha sees his beloved Kikyo alive again he will do anything to keep her with him.' _A sinister grin crossed his face.

He glared at Kagura. "Return to your room until I call for you."

Kagura's eyes glistened and her mouth tightened. She turned on her heel and stormed down the hallway.

Naraku turned to Kanna. "I want Kikyo's body prepared for the transfer immediately. Call me when it is finished." He walked down the hallway into his chamber and cackled. "Inuyasha, soon you will have your precious bitch returned." His evil chuckled bounced off the walls.

Several hours later Kanna walked into Naraku's room.

"It is finished, Master."

"Good, good. Send her into me at once."

"As you wish." Kanna returned to the other room. "Master Naraku bids you to see him, immediately."

Kikyo nodded and followed the waif to Naraku's room.

"I want you to find Inuyasha and his friends. Travel with them until I say otherwise."

"Yes master." She stared at him with emotionless eyes.

**XOXOXO:**

Inuyasha walked along the forest scowling. _'Where could she be?' _He picked up a loose stone and flung it across the way. It hit a large tree trunk and rolled harmlessly across the forest floor.

He grunted.

The cry of a young child spurred him to action.

"Ah! Help me!" The seven year old girl ran fast as her little legs would carry her. Her face was one of pure fright as a large hairy demon chased after her, with its fangs bared and dripping with blood.

"Someone help me!" The little girl tripped, just missing being ripped by the massive paw.

Inuyasha withdrew his sword and sliced off the massive paw.

"Go on kid, get out of here." He faced the demon that was the size of a mountain, with thick, sharp fangs and enormous paws.

"Yo ugly, pick on someone more your size and leave the pipsqueak alone." He prepared to charge the monster and stopped short as a purple arrow flew into the demon's chest.

'_A purple arrow?'_ His eyes widened. "Hey, where did that come from?" He spun around and his eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets.

"Kikyo," he replaced his sword and ran over picking her up into his arms. He held her hips and held her in the air before hugging her and spinning around with a grin. "Thank goodness Kikyo." He placed her on her feet and kissed the top of her hair as he hugged her to his chest.

"I thought I'd lost you." His arms shook around her as he held her close to his heart.

Miroku broke through the trees and froze in his tracks. "Lady Kikyo?"

Sango's eyes widened as she emerged next to him.

"How is this possible?"

Kikyo blinked and stared at the newcomers a minute and then spoke in an emotionless tone.

"I just woke up in the middle of nowhere and then I sensed that demon chasing the child."

Inuyasha barked out happily," Who cares how it happened. Kikyo's back." He hugged her to his side. "Kikyo's going to join us for a while."

Sango frowned. "But Inuyasha -"

He snorted. "No buts. I'm still the alpha of this pack. I said she stays." He turned to Kikyo and stared at her with eyes full of love. "I will never leave your side again. You will always be safe with me around."

Miroku frowned. "Inuyasha, I think we should - "

"Miroku, if you have any objections, I suggest you keep them to yourself." Inuyasha pulled Kikyo to him and kissed her passionately. Her hands went to his biceps to keep her from falling. He broke the kiss and grinned.

"Let's go find us some jewel shards."

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter everyone. Have a wonderful time with your friends and families. XD**


	23. Fall Outs

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 23: Fall Outs.**

Two days had passed and nothing had changed. Miroku and Sango sat by the fire watching Inuyasha fawn over Kikyo.

_This is a mistake. _Miroku rubbed his chin with a heavy sigh.

"Do you think Kagome will join us soon?" Sango polished her weapon, which lay across her lap.

"I don't know."

"It's going to take some getting used to." Sango shook her head.

"What is?" Miroku turned his full attention to his fiancé and smiled at how the sun shined in her hair.

"Kagome being married. I still can't believe it."

"Ah that." Miroku smiled. "I'd have guessed you were referring to that." He pointed in the hanyou's direction.

"That too." Sango scowled.

"Enough yapping already. We have shards to find." Inuyasha stood with his hands on his hips and glared at his comrades.

"So much for our break in two days." Sango sighed and rose to her feet.

Miroku rose to his feet and dusted off his robes.

Kikyo stood quietly at Inuyasha's side.

"Let's go." Inuyasha placed a hand at the small of Kikyo's back and pushed her forward as the small group started off down the path again.

They continued down the path in silence, slayer and monk eying the newest member warily.

"I don't think your friends like me traveling with you." Kikyo's hand gripped her bow as she walked beside Inuyasha.

He snorted. "They will just have to get used to it." He continued down the path. "You're a better priestess than Kagome. Don't get me wrong, she's done fine all things considered, but she's not nearly as experienced as you are."

Sango's spine stiffened. "Inuyahsa, I don't think that very fair to compare Kagome, ended up thrust into everything head first with no knowledge to start with, to a miko, who has had a lifetime of experience and training."

"Oi, Kagome saved your butt more times than I can count." Shippo glared at the hanyou.

"I was constantly saving her ass." Inuyasha snorted. "Plus she sat me every time her feelings got hurt."

"I wish she was here to sit you right now." Shippo braked back.

Miroku nodded. "Lady Kagome has performed admirably the past couple of years, considering she had the bare minimum of training and has had to learn firsthand through trial and error."

Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head. "I wasn't saying she hadn't done well, just that she is nowhere as good at it as Kikyo."

Sango's fist clenched. "That's because Kagome didn't have anyone to teach her from child hood. She had Kaede, who explained a few things and then sent her off with you."

"Calm down, my dear. I'm sure Inuyasha realizes that."

Sango huffed and her hand tightened on her weapon. "Still, he didn't have to act like Kagome was useless. She's saved all of our butts numerous times. She's pulled her weight and earned her spot in the group."

Inuyasha spun around and growled. "Are you saying Kikyo didn't?"

"No one is saying she didn't." Miroku placed a hand on Sango's shoulder. "Inuyasha is just happy to have Kikyo back and because of it, he's forgotten just how much Kagome has done, for all of us."

Shippo huffed and sat on Miroku's shoulder.

"It doesn't mean he has to be a jerk about it."

Inuyasha huffed. "She's with Bankotsu now. Which means _Kikyo_ is now the priestess of this pack. Now shut up and keep moving."

"You better watch how you talk to me, Inuyasha. I'm not Kagome; I have no problem kicking your ass if you disrespect me." Brown eyes narrowed at the hanyou.

Miroku's eyes widened and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sango dear, please settle down. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it."

She huffed. "I'm getting sick of his snappy attitude."

"If you don't like it, you can always leave." Amber eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm getting sick of you two complaining about Kikyo. She's a stronger miko than Kagome ever was."

Sango's face turned red and her hand balled into a fist. "Just how long do you think you can last without us there to guard your back?"

Inuyasha's nostrils flared. "I did just fine before I met you two. If you don't start showing Kikyo some respect like you did to Kagome, you two can go off alone. See how long you last without me there to save your asses." He crossed his hands over his chest.

Miroku's eyes widened. "I think we all need to cool off and think a bit."

Sango snorted. "I'll show her more respect, if and when she earns it. Being a miko doesn't entitle her to any more respect than I've shown her." She scowled. "You've become a real jerk the past couple days and I'm getting sick of it. You act like Kagome is weak, and she is not!"

"Go ahead and leave then." Inuyasha's lips slowly spread into a smirk. "You won't last two days without me."

Sango huffed. "You wanna bet? I've lasted my whole life before I met you and did fine then." She turned to Miroku. "Are you coming or staying?"

Miroku sighed. "I really think we should all cool off a bit, before any decisions are made."

Inuyasha turned to Kikyo. "I'm never going to let anyone hurt, or disrespect you again." He turned to Sango. "You three are on your own." He and Kikyo left without another word.

"What a hot head." Miroku shook his head and watched the Hanyou disappear.

"Baka!" Shippo sighed and shook his head sadly. "He just never learns."

"I suppose this was bound to happen sooner or later." Miroku nodded and gripped his staff tightly.

"I miss Kagome. When do you think she will come back?" green eyes shone with sadness.

"I don't know, Shippo." Sango's eyes softened. "One thing is for certain, Kagome really was the glue that held the group together."

Miroku sighed and sat down. "We may as well stay here and make camp, since the sun will set in a couple hours."

"I'll catch us some fish." Shippo bounded over to the water and did as he said, piling the six fish on the shore. He carried them back to camp with a grin. "Is anybody else hungry?"

Miroku smiled and patted his head. "Thank Shippo. I'll cook them over the fire."

"I'm glad we stopped. My feet are killing me from all of that walking." Sango pulled her sandals off and rubbed her sore feet.

"Let me." Miroku finished staking the fish over the fire and washed his hands. He knelt before Sango and rubbed her feet, watching the shock quickly turn into pleasure as his thumbs worked deep into her arches.

"Thanks," She blushed. Her eyes widened as a loud rumbling filled the sky and the ground shook.

"Well, well, isn't that sweet?" Bankotsu smirked, standing on Ginkotsu's back. "Miss us?"

"Kagome!" Shippo ran over to her and barreled into her arms. "I've missed you so much."

She laughed and stepped back as she caught him. "Aw Shippo, I've missed you two."

"Where's the mutt?"

Miroku stood up and frowned. "He left."

Kagome's eyes winded. "Why?" She turned to her best friend. "What happened?"

Sango sighed heavily and rubbed her temples.

Miroku filled them in on what happened and then knelt by the fire and checked the fish.

Kagome stared at her husband with a horrified look on her face. "Ban, we have to stop him."

He scowled. "Baka Inu shouldn't have left."

"Ban…" Kagome frowned.

He sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her to his chest. "Don't worry babe, we will find him."

Her eyes watered. "I hope so." She bit her bottom lip and stared in the direction Inuyasha had left. "Do you really think its Kikyo?"

"Iie." He scowled.

Jakotsu climbed down and passed Miroku some of the meat Kagome packed. "Cook this, will you, sexy?"

Miroku shuddered and turned to Sango.

The wind picked up and Kagome's spine stiffened. "Oh no."

"What is it, babe?" Bankotsu's brow rose.

Miroku's eyes widened. "Don't tell me…"

Kagome sighed. "Kouga's coming."

"This won't be good." Sango's eyes widened.

Just as she finished speaking, the whirlwind veered toward them and then stopped dead in its tracks and blue eyes looked furious. Kouga's jaw was so tight a muscle beside it ticked.

"Why the hell do I smell your scent all of _my_ Kagome?" he shoved Bankotsu back a step.

Bankotsu's eyes narrowed. "First of all, Kagome is _mine._ Secondly, you better learn some fucking manners." Before he could blink, Kouga found himself pinned against a tree with Banryu cutting into his throat.

"What the fuck do you mean Kagome is yours? She's my woman!"

"Iie, I'm not!" Kagome huffed and walked over glaring at Kouga. She placed the hand with the wedding ring on Bankotsu's shoulder. "Ease up Ban, please?"

He snorted and glared at Kouga. "Listen closely wolf, because I'm only going to say this once. Kagome is my wife. Touch her and you die. Is that clear enough?"

Kagome sighed heavily. "Okay, both of you need to dial back the machismo."

Kouga stared at her. "What is he talking about?"

Kagome stared into his eyes. "I've told you before Kouga, I only think of you as a friend."

Kouga's nostrils flared. "Tell me you didn't marry a corpse!"

"I'm warning you, wolf." Bankotsu's teeth ground and the large blade cut blood.

Kagome's jaw tightened. "Kouga! You're not listening to me. Bankotsu and I are already married."

Kouga's jaw tightened and he turned a hate-filled glare on Bankotsu. "She's too good for you."

Bankotsu's teeth bared, and he gave a nearly inhuman growl. "One more word and you're fucking history!"

"I love him." Kagome stared at Kouga. "Nothing you say will change that. Bankotsu and I are married. You're just going to have to learn to accept that."

Kouga's eyes widened and his tail tucked between his legs. "But, I thought that you loved me."

"I never said that. I never once said we were anything but friends."

Kouga's eyes fell to the blade and shined with moisture. "I thought that if I gave you time, you would grow to love me."

"She doesn't love you, wolf. Get the fuck over it already."

"Ban, please, arguing with him isn't helping."

"Tough! He either accepts your choice, or I kill him here and now."

Her eyes narrowed. "If you kill him, I'll never forgive you."

Bankotsu's teeth ground and he snorted, releasing the wolf to fall to the ground.

Rubbing the cut line on his throat Kouga glared at Bankotsu and then stared at Kagome. "He's not good enough for you and never will be."

Before Bankotsu's punch could land, Kagome slid between them and stared at her husband. "Ban, please."

His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. He planted one hand on his hip.

Kagome sighed and turned to face Kouga. "Return to Ayame."

"I don't love her."

"You will find someone, some day."

Kouga's eyes narrowed and he held up a hand. "Don't! Just Don't." He turned his back to her and started to walk away. He turned around and stared at her. "I hope you're happy with your choice." With that he sped off in a cloud of dust.

Kagome stared as he left.

Bankotsu walked over to her and stared at her for a moment without speaking.

"That certainly went better than I expected." Miroku smiled.

Kagome sighed heavily and hugged her waist.

Bankotsu stared his wife dead in the eye and his jaw tightened.

She lowered her eyes to the ground. "I'm sorry. I couldn't let you kill him."

He sighed heavily and scowled. "Jakotsu, set up camp. The rest of you, help him." He turned and stormed off into the woods.

Kagome fell to her knees with tears running down her cheeks.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: That's it for chapter twenty-three. Enjoy everyone. Only a few chapters remain. Enjoy everyone. Let me know what you think, good or bad. XD**


	24. Clearing The Air

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**A/N: For those interested you can now track my progress on my blog, or my webpage. {Both of which are linked in my profile.} I've been hard at work on my current novel. Enjoy the next chapter. XD**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 24: Clearing the air.**

"Don't worry, Kagome. I'm sure he will return soon enough." Sango placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"He's so disappointed in me." Kagome sniffled and wrapped her hands around the hot cup of tea.

"He tried to protect you, and you basically threw it back in his face." Jakotsu's eyes narrowed. "You disrespected him, and you did it in front of the others."

Jakotsu sat beside Kagome with a heavy sigh and held his bowl of stew. "Odds are he's upset, or furious, one of the two."

Kagome stared at Jakotsu. "I didn't mean to disrespect him."

"Well, you did." Jakotsu ate a bite of stew and stared at her.

"I couldn't let him kill Kouga."

Jakotsu nodded. "He knows that. Just give him time to blow off some steam. But, you're going to have to fix this yourself." Jakotsu finished his stew and stared at the fire.

Kagome stared into the dancing flames with a heavy heart. _I messed up. I always mess everything up. _She wiped away a tear and hugged her waist, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

Two hours later Bankotsu returned and sat with his back against the tree. He didn't say anything when Jakotsu walked over and passed him a bowl of stew. He ate silently and placed the empty bowl aside.

Jakotsu shook his head and walked away, opting to leave him alone for a while.

**XOXOXO:**

An hour later, Bankotsu returned and everyone sat silently around the fire.

"What are we going to do about Inuyasha?"

Sango stared at her fiancé. "He's a big boy, Miroku."

Miroku sighed. "I know, but still…"

The knots in Kagome's stomach tightened when she noticed the empty stare her husband gazed at the fire with. His jaw was tight and his hand near his knee was balled into a tight fist. "Inuyasha can take care of himself."

"He's still our friend."

Sango sighed heavily and stared at her fiance. "I'm not so sure about that anymore."

Kagome sat with Shippo in her lap, and stared off in the direction Miroku mentioned Inuyasha had left in. "I hope he will be okay."

Bankotsu grunted, standing up ready to walk off again.

"Wait." Kagome stood up and walked over to him. "Um, can we talk alone for a minute?"

His eyes narrowed as he silently watched her, waiting to see what she would say.

"Please?" She stared at him with a puppy dog eyes look.

He gave her a curt nod and stiffly walked off.

She followed him. Once they got about ten yards away from the others, she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ban, I'm sorry."

He shrugged her hand off and spun around to face her, with a cold, hard look in his eyes.

"Please, talk to me." Her voice sounded close to tears.

His brow rose in silent question.

"Look, I screwed up. Okay?" Her voice came out exasperated.

He planted a hand on his hip, as if waiting for her to continue..

"I never meant to disrespect you, especially in front of the others." Her eyes narrowed. "Kouga may be unable to take a hint, but I couldn't just let you kill him. He's my friend." She hugged her waist and bit her bottom lip. "At least he was." Her voice fell to a near whisper.

His nostrils flared. "I'm your husband. It is my job to protect you, even if it's from your friends." A muscle by his jaw ticked.

"I know. Ban, I…" She reached out to cup his cheek, but he stepped away with a hard look in his eyes. Her hand fell to her side and she sighed. "I'm sorry that I screwed up. And I'm sorry that I hurt you." Her eyes lowered to the ground and moisture gathered in her eyes. "I never meant to hurt you."

He sighed and used his forefinger to raise her chin. "You have a really big, generous heart." His eyes softened a tad and his thumb stroked her cheek. "That's one of many reasons that I fell in love with you."

She blinked and stared at him.

"You have to let me protect you. I need to keep you safe at all times."

She nodded. "I'm - "

He pressed his finger against her lips. "Shh, don't apologize for being yourself." He sighed heavily.

"I hate that the mangy wolf tries to claim you as his woman. I wanted to kill him just for saying that." His jaw tightened and his bicep flexed as he removed his hand from her face, balling it into a fist. "He also killed Kyokotsu, and I won't forget that."

Her hands cupped his face. "Oh Ban, I know it's hard."

He shook his head side to side.

She fell silent, biting her bottom lip.

"I will always love you. Even when I'm mad at you." His voice came out soft, filled with love for his wife.

She blinked back unwanted tears. "I love you too."

"Let's get back to camp." He held out his hand to her.

She placed her hand in his and hugged his waist with her free arm. "It won't happen again."

He smiled amused. "Hai, it will." He stared her dead in the eye. "We're both too hot tempered for us not to argue with each other, from time to time."

She smiled. "Hai, you're right, we are."

"When it does happen, we will deal with it, together."

She nodded and they walked back to camp.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: That's it for this one. Enjoy everyone. XD**


	25. Trouble Rising

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**A/N: I apologize for the length between updates. I have been hard at work on my novels and a bunch of real life stuff has also come up. **

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 25: Trouble Brewing.**

"Kagome, are you listening to me?"

She frowned. "I'm sorry Shippo. What did you say?"

"Forget it." He sighed, hopping out of her lap with a bummed out look on his face.

"Shippo, wait." She placed a hand on his shoulder and stared into his eyes. "I'm really sorry. I'll listen this time, I promise."

Shippo's foot scuffed the dirt and he sighed. "I was telling you about my new move I've been working on."

She smiled. "Shippo, that's wonderful."

"I guess." He sighed and stared at his feet.

She rubbed his back. "Shippo, I know how hard you work on your moves."

"You haven't been around a lot lately." He stared at her.

She hugged him. "I know."

"Are you going to forget me?"

"Iie, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Inuyasha did."

She sighed heavily. "Well, Inuyasha has a lot to deal with right now."

Bankotsu snorted and tossed the rest of his tea into the fire. "I'm going for a walk."

"Be careful okay?" Kagome stared at her husband.

"I always am." He smirked and walked over kissing her cheek. "You stay here by the fire and keep warm. Ja, stay with her and make sure she's got what she needs. I'll be back soon." He placed Banryu to rest on his shoulder. "Ren, you're with me."

Renkotsu blinked. "Hai," He corked his gourd and followed his leader.

Kagome sighed and sat down, stroking Shippo's hair. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

**XOXOXO:**

"Oi, how much further?" Inuyasha trudged along the path next to Kikyo.

"Not far." The woman said in a flat tone, continuing to lead him further through the thick trees and dense underbrush.

"Why won't you just tell me where we are going?" He watched her hips sway as she continued walking through the dense forest.

"Stop whining." She shoved a low hanging branch out of her way.

"I am not whining." He sulked, crossing his arms over his chest.

She blinked and walked over to the large boulders and nodded. "We're here."

Inuyasha scanned their surroundings and frowned. "Why this place?"

"It brings a feeling of peace to me." She sat down and placed her bow in her lap.

He sighed and sat beside her.

He heard rustling off to the west and frowned. "Stay behind me." He used one hand to push Kikyo behind him and the other to pull out his sword.

A confused and frightened girl of around sixteen burst from the bushes, falling to her knees, with blood dripping from her right leg and left arm. "Help me." She panted, looking at the strangers.

_'Kill her.' _Kikyo blinked and her eyes clouded over. She notched an arrow.

Inuyasha walked over to the girl, helping her to her feet. "What happened?" He stared at her wounds and scowled.

Kikyo pulled the string back and aimed the arrow at him, letting it lose.

He deflected the arrow with his sword. "Kikyo, what are you - " He ducked just in time to keep her second arrow from hitting home. It sliced open his left cheek.

He watched in horror as she aimed for the girl again. He tackled the girl to the ground and spun around to face his lover. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Get out of my way, Inuyasha." She notched another arrow.

"She needs help." He stood between her and the girl. He noticed the cloudy look in Kikyo's eyes and scowled. _'Damnit! Who is controlling her?' _

"I don't want to fight you, Kikyo." He stepped towards Kikyo, putting his sword away and dodged the next arrow. His heart ached knowing that she was being controlled. _'I can't use my sword on her, because I don't want to kill her.'_

"Please, don't hurt me." The girl cowered behind Inuyasha, unsure of what was happening. Her body shook from the force of her fear and she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out loud.

"Don't make me tell you again." He said, flexing his claws.

"You would never harm the woman you love." Kikyo stared at him calmly and notched another arrow, filling it with purple energy.

Inuyasha's gut twisted as he prepared to engage the priestess. _'The Kikyo I know would never harm an innocent girl.'_

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: That's it for this one. Hope you all enjoyed it. I'd love to hear what you think about it. XD**


	26. Tension Mounting

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 26: Tension Mounting.**

Inuyasha heard the girl fall to her knees, breathing heavily and smelled her fear which permeated the air around them.

"Don't test me on this, Kikyo." Inuyasha stared at her as he slowly positioned his body between her and the girl. As much as he loved Kikyo, he refused to stand by and let her attack an innocent girl, especially one who just escaped a rampaging demon. He side glanced to check on the girl.

She sat on the ground hugging her waist and watched them, chin quivering. "Whoever you people are, just let me go, please?" Her face was pale and the blood flowering from her wounds was soaking into the ground as she tried to push to her feet.

"Just stay put and let me handle this." He kept his eyes on Kikyo and tried to keep his tone even as he stood between them and faced his lover. "Put the bow down and let's talk about this."

Kikyo's jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed. "Out of my way, Inuyasha." Her tone stayed even as her fingers calmly drew the string and she pointed the arrow at him."

_Kill them!_

Before the arrow could strike Inuyasha, a large blast of energy ruptured the ground and deflected the arrow, wending it off to the side to land in a tree. Something silver spun in the air and then struck the ground, sending Kikyo flying back close to ten feet. The massive blade flipped to rest on a wide shoulder.

"Oi, do you have any idea how worried my wife is about you?" Blue eyes narrowed at the stunned hanyou. "I ought to ring your damned neck for worrying her like this."

Inuyasha's jaw tightened and he stepped towards the man. "Who asked you to butt into this?" He hooked a thumb in the direction of the girl. "Go tend to her while I deal with this."

Bankotsu's face reddened. "Watch your mouth or you'll be eating my damned fist!" He scowled and ground out, "What happened to her?"

"She came running through the trees with that demon over there hot on her heels." Inuyasha waved to the remains of the demon and scowled. "Just deal with her, leave the rest to me."

Bankotsu opened his mouth to yell at the arrogant mutt, but was cut off as he deflected an arrow. His eyes narrowed at Kikyo. "How dare you?" He stepped towards her.

Inuyasha pulled his sword out and placed it in Bankotsu's path. "Leave her to me."

Before anything else could be said the ground rumbled, knocking Kikyo down before the ground moved like the waves of an ocean as Kikyo tried to stand to her feet. Inuyasha and Bankotsu shoved their weapons into the ground, riding out the tremors.

"We'll finish this later." Bankotsu positioned his weapon in a defensive pose in front of him and his eyes scanned the area for any signs of trouble. His eye widened when Ginkotsu rolled out of the trees carrying the rest of the band of seven.

"We saw the explosion and came as fast as we could." Kagome called to her husband as she hopped off the tank and ran towards him. "Are you okay?"

He raised a brow. "I'm always okay." He jerked a thumb at the girl. "See what you can do for her."

Kagome ran over to the girl, dropping in front of her and opening her pack. She stared at the girl. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to fix your wounds, okay?"

The girl stared at her and slowly nodded, still shaking from the remnants of her fear.

Everyone else got into fighting positions as the ground groaned and rolled again, shaking their teeth together.

Miroku and Sango flew down on Kirara's back and went to stand by Kagome and the injured girl as Kagome tended to the girl's wounds.

"Something tells me this isn't good." Jakotsu managed to say before the sky turned pitch black.

Bankotsu snorted. "Gee, what was your first clue?" Before he could say anything else the screech of demons filled the air as numerous hoards closed in around them as the wind picked up to frightening proportions.

**XOXOXO:**

**A/N: That's it for this one. Hope you all enjoyed it. I'd love to hear what you think about it. We're really close to the end now. XD**


	27. Finale

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!**

**Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.**

**Chapter 27: Finale.**

The ferocity of the wind grew as the seemingly endless demon hoards high in the sky, headed right towards them.

Bankotsu flipped Banryu into a defensive position and waited, eyes scouring the land as the ground began to shimmy and shake. He grunted and stabbed Banryu into the earth, hand tightening around the handle.

Inuyasha slammed Tetsuiga into the earth and clung to the handle. "What the hell is this?"

Ginkotsu slowly rolled over to Kagome.

With Renkotsu's help they got the frightened girl on the tank man's back and Kagome jumped on Ginkotsu, holding to one of the weapon racks.

When the ground finally ceased moving, Sango and Miroku sighed with their backs against Ginkotsu's wide base.

A loud shriek filled the air as Kikyo's body raised into the air held by a single, solid tentacle stretched out of the ground.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha cried, ripping his weapon from the dirt. "Windscar!" He screamed, slamming the weapon on the ground and a burst of light flew towards the tentacle, but was reflected by a green barrier.

The windscar was deflected by Banryu as Bankotsu ran over in front of Ginkotsu. "Are you fucking insane, Inubaka?" He growled, flipping Banryu before him to stave off the remainder of the attack, grunting behind the blade, he used his free hand to push the attack towards the trees off to his left.

"Watch where the hell you aim that thing!" he barked out, eyes flashing with the promise of a fate worse than death the hanyou endangered his group again.

"How the hell was I supposed to know the damned thing would be deflected?" Inuyasha's barked back, nostrils flaring and ears twitching.

The ground shimmered again causing the warriors to step back a few paces in order to keep their balances.

Twenty feet before them a black mass of bubbling ooze erupted from the ground, with a light purple miasma filling the air.

Bankotsu's eyes widened and he froze in momentary shock as his mind replayed the night he'd been relaxing in the tub. _'That's the same shit from my vision.'_

"Inuyasha, don't let that shit touch you!" He called out in warning as the hanyou ran towards the area, determined to retrieve his beloved Kikyo.

"Kikyo's puppet screamed in pain and fright as the ooze rose up the tentacle towards her.

Inuyasha watched horrified as if everything happened in slow motion, while his feet were cemented in place. His heart lurched as he watched the body engulfed by the noxious ooze.

"No!" He cried out raising his weapon, intending to release the windscar again.

Bankotsu ran over and smashed Banryu against the weapon, forcing it down to the ground before the energy finished gathering. "Baka! Stop acting like a retard. Can't you see that's exactly what the bastard wants?" His stone solid fist smashed into Inuyasha's jaw, and sent him skidding across the ground, towards the others.

Bankotsu picked up and tossed the tiny blade to the ground by Inuyasha. "Fucking holster that thing!" He growled before back flipping over to them.

Kikyo's puppet cried out as the ooze slowly dissolved her body.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha struggled against Bankotsu's iron grip, ready to use his blades of blood, until Kagome jumped down in front of them and fired an arrowed charged with miko energy.

Miroku sighed and stared his friend dead in the eye. "Inuyasha, that wasn't Kikyo."

"How can you say that?" The hanyou snarled, eyes turning red.

The previously injured girl jumped down and grabbed his arm. "Stop please." She begged, staring at him with wide, frightened eyes.

Inuyasha inhaled a shocked breath as energy poured into him, causing little electric zaps to run down his spine as the girl hugged his waist, burying her face against his chest and trembled violently.

Bankotsu stared at his wife. "Think it will work?"

"Only one way to find out." She strung another arrow, focusing it towards the gaping crater, still emitting ooze. She fired her arrow towards the center of the hole and watched the energy push through the ooze, before crackling energy engulfed the massive puddle.

"It's not strong enough." She frowned.

"Together than." Bankotsu raised Banryu, releasing the Dragon Hammer and Kagome fired an arrow into his attack, watching as the combined energies mingled to destroy the ooze.

"So, you two have grown stronger, eh?" Naraku's vile voice filled the air as the demons hovering in the air started their descent.

"Figured you were behind this." Bankotsu scowled and sent his attacks towards the descending demons, quickly joined by Kagome's arrows. "Renkotsu, burn this shit to ashes!" He ordered, before running towards Naraku, who came up out of the crater.

Renkotsu leapt down from Ginkotsu's back, spewing forth flame as the demon bodies fell to the ground at the mercy of Jakotsu's snake like blade, Miroku's sutras and Sango's boomerang.

Kirara and Shippo joined in by using fire and fox fire attacks on the demons.

The girl pressed against Inuyasha's chest stared at him. "I think I know how to defeat him."

Inuyasha blinked and his ears twitched. "How?"

"He's not alone." She pointed towards the hole, where Tsubaki slowly rose, surrounded by a pale green barrier.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "You!" he snarled and pushed the girl against Ginkotsu.

Tsubaki grinned. "Hello yourself."

Kagura flew through the demons in the sky. "Dance of blades!" she yelled, slicing her fan trough the air, releases three blades towards the tank like man.

Inuyasha blinked as a blue barrier surrounded him, Ginkotsu and the girl, destroying the wind blades.

"What gives?" Inuyasha asked staring at the barrier.

At the same time Kagome heard a whisper in her head. _'You and Bankotsu need to combine your attacks with Inuyasha's in order to destroy Tsubaki.'_

She blinked. _'Midoriko?'_

_'There isn't much time, child.'_

She stared at Inuyasha. "I need you to trust me."

"Kagome, now really isn't the time to - "

She silenced him with a glare. "Use Tetsuiga and aim for my arrow."

He frowned but withdrew his word, preparing to do as she said. "Hope you know what you're doing."

She reached back, notching another arrow. "Bankotsu, aim for my arrow!" She yelled before pulling back the string and aiming for the center of Tsubaki's heart.

Bankotsu nodded and prepared to do as she asked, trusting his wife.

"Now!" Kagome fired her arrow, watching in horror as two tentacles threatened her husband from the left. "Look out!" She cried trying to warn him.

Before she could fire another arrow, Renkotsu's fire spewed onto the tentacles, turning them into harmless ashes.

Bankotsu spun around and smirked at his second in command. "Nice save." He whirled around and used Banryu to hack at the next wave of demons.

Renkotsu nodded and blew more fire from his mouth, shaking his gourd, which was almost empty.

Kirara flew over to Bankotsu, getting him out of harm's way by knocking him onto her back and flying over to the tank.

"Dance of the dragon."

The girl screamed as three tornadoes aimed towards her and Inuyasha.

"Damn you Kagura." Inuyasha snarled as he counteracted with the windscar, ripping into her fan. She cried out as the fan was ripped from her hands and half her body was shredded.

Another tornado barreled across the ground, heading straight towards them, but stopped a foot away. "Kagome, watch out!" Kouga cried, running towards her as a tentacle sailed towards her, intending to impale her.

At the last second Kirara flew over to Kagome, dumping Bankotsu on his feet as he quickly sliced the tentacle and then Kirara blew fire on it. "Stay away from my wife, you bastard!" He ground out, eyes zeroing on Naraku.

"Kouga?" Kagome asked in disbelief.

He smirked. "Couldn't let you have all the fun." He held up his left hand which held the Gorashi. He flicked his claws and grinned. "New and improved."

She smiled. "I'm glad you're here."

Bankotsu grunted. "Focus people!" He snapped, as Banryu flipped into a defensive position.

"Yeah, yeah." Kouga retorted, before spinning to face Naraku. "You and your little bitch will pay for what you did to my clan!" He ran forward, aiming for Naraku's head, missing by only a fraction of an inch.

Kirara flew over to Sango, who was busy slicing the remaining demons with her boomerang. Miroku fought by her side, using his staff to slice through the ones who managed to get close enough to threaten them.

Bankotsu, Kagome, and Inuyasha's combined attacks struck Tsubaki and rendered her to pieces, as Kagome's miko energy destroyed the evil miko from the inside out.

"No!" Naraku cried out in anger and released a waved of tentacles, tossing the wolf prince away from him.

Kagome felt a strange, yet comforting presence behind her and then felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She looked but saw nothing.

_'Focus on Naraku. You and Bankotsu must combine your powers to defeat him.'_

She blinked. "Ban, we have to work together to beat him."

"On three." Bankotsu nodded and raised his weapon. "One, two," He raised his weapon into the air. "Three!" He swung down, releasing his most power dragon hammer.

Kagome's arrow flew towards the middle of the energy strike and she felt a strong surge of power flow through her. She watched as her pink energy turned to bluish white, strengthening the potency of the attack as it barreled toward Naraku.

Bankotsu charged forward, intent on following up the attack by slicing his blade through the bastard's flesh.

Kagome watched horrified as Naraku sent forth a massive cloud of miasma with his tentacles, trying to stave off the attack and aiming straight for her husband.

Her heart stalled as she heard him cry out in pain, trying to hold off the attack. "You, die, today." He ground out between pain filled gasps, calling on all of his massive strength to force the tentacles, which were pummeling his weapon back.

_'It's time.' _

Bankotsu scowled and grunted. "No!"

_'You must let me go.'_ Banryu spoke to his mind.

"No damnit, now shut up and fight!" his grip tightened on the handle as if trying to bend the blades will.

_'You don't need my guidance anymore. Let go and move on.'_

"I refuse." He whispered with a fierce determination.

_'If you don't give up your search for more power, you will be killed.'_

"Then so be it." He grunted, forcing the last reserves of his strength behind the blade.

_'You have a wife now, who depends on you. Take care of her.' _

"I can't lose you." He whispered, silently willing the blade to understand.

_'You will never lose me; I will always be in your heart.'_ Banryu glowed brightly and began to crack under the pressure.

Bankotsu felt the loss like a piece of his soul being ripped from him as the weapon glowed with pure energy to the point his hands hurt. "Please." He begged. "Don't do this."

_'Let me go, so that you can survive.'_ Warmth flowed from the massive blade and he felt strangely comforted, despite the soul deep sadness filling his body. _'I love you.'_

"I love you too, Mother." He sobbed, before he let the handle slide from his fingers and was immediately thrown out of the way, by a huge burst of energy, just before Banryu exploded into billion's of fragments.

He grunted as he hit the ground on his back, just before Naraku impaled his gut with one of his tentacles.

"No!" Kagome cried, firing arrows at the tentacle, running over to her husband's side, landing on her knees with tears streaming down her face. "Bankotsu!" She screamed out in horror as she saw the look of death on his face.

Inuyasha's attack combined with Bankotsu and Kagome's final attacks to destroy Naraku, who screamed in pain and outrage as he was rendered to pieces, and then fell to the ground in a pile of ashes.

"Kagome…" Bankotsu's eyes clouded over with a mixture of pain, sadness and regret.

"You hang in there you hear me?" She spoke frantically as she closed her teary eyes and placed her hands over his wounds, chanting the healing words from the cave. She feverently prayed that it would work and nearly broke down sobbing as she felt his life's energy draining away.

"Don't you dare leave me now!" she slammed her hands over his would and poured every ounce of energy she had into repeating the healing chant and focusing on his wound.

She heard him cough, the sound like blood rattling in his lungs and felt the cold claws of fear seize her heart in an iron tight grip._ 'I will not lose him!'_ She silently vowed, focusing all of her concentration into the healing chant.

The sky around them glowed with a bright blue light, mixing with her pink energy as the others watched avidly, with mixed feelings.

_'Please Kami, I can't lose him. Not now.'_ Kagome collapsed against him, barely able to sit up anymore and repeated the chant, forcing the final vestiges of her strength into it, before she was surrounded by the black abyss of unconsciousness.

**XOXOXO:**

Two days later Kagome lay in bed still too weak to move and stared at the other side of her bed, which was cold, and empty as if it hadn't been used in ages. Her heart squeezed painfully as she uselessly wiped the tears away from her eyes and felt her heart breaking all over again. She hugged her knees to her chest and cried.

"It's a shame to see such a beautiful lady crying." A man with wide shoulders walked over and pulled her into his arms.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head against a strong chest. "I was so afraid I'd lost you forever." She whispered, still afraid to believe he was right there, holding her.

She felt a pair of lips brush against her hair. He pulled back and lifted her chin to stare into her watery eyes. "Nah, You're stuck with me for all eternity." He sent her his signature smirk, before kissing her as if it were their first time.

She kissed him back, inhaling his scent, capturing it with her lungs and allowed the heady sensation of his drugging kiss to sweep aware the nightmares.

He pulled back and nuzzled his nose against hers. "No more bad dreams, okay?"

She smiled and nodded, placing his hand over her heart. "I'm just glad it's finally over." She said, before slowly standing up, with his hands on her hips, bracing her as they made their way to where the others were waiting to celebrate their hard won victory.

Miroku sat next to his wife, who held Shippo in her lap.

Inuyasha sat next to the girl he'd saved. "Are you sure you don't mind coming here?" He asked, staring at her.

"I'm honored to be included." She smiled shyly at him. "You saved me, I'll never be able to thank you enough."

Inuyasha snorted. "Enough with the gratitude already." He blinked as she leaned over, brushing a kiss against his cheek.

She pulled back and smiled. "Okay, but still thank you."

His face reddened as he rubbed the spot she kissed, still shocked by how her touches affected him.

Kagome and Bankotsu walked into the room and took their seats. Bankotsu stood at the head of the long table and clinked his glass. "Today we're here to celebrate our most important victory and welcome a new friend."

Everyone raised their glasses.

"From this day forward, everyone at this table is a part of something special. Misfits and all we're family." He tapped his glass against Kagome's and everyone tapped glasses and then drank their wine.

**XOXOXO:**

**A:N: I'm sad to see this story end. Hope everyone enjoyed this story and thanks for your continuous encouraging reviews. **

**I have some wonderful news for all of my incredible readers… My first original work is getting published! Check my blog {linked on my profile} for the details and don't be shy to comment on it either. I love to hear from my readers. XD**


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